Forever
by glitterstar7
Summary: Inspired by the song "Forever" by Rascal Flatts. After the sinking Rose and Cal both have to deal with the aftermath. Rose tries to rebuild her life after losing Jack. Cal feels guilty of his actions and has to deal with his guilt and grief over losing Rose. This is my attempt to answer the missing years from the film.
1. Chapter 1

Ch. 1: The Carpathia (Rose's POV)

To describe the state that she was in, Rose was numb. She had just lost everything with the Titanic; most importantly she lost the love of her life. Part of her wanted to die with Jack, but she remembered the promise she had made him. That promise was the only reason why she went after that whistle to get the lifeboat's attention. It was almost daybreak, when another ship came into the horizon. The officer who rescued her grabbed a flare to get the attention of the ship. As the lifeboat got closer to the ship, she could make out the bright bold words "Carpathia".

She is so numb that when she comes onboard the rescue ship, she is barely able to stand. Kind strangers drape more blankets onto her numb body, and she is given a cup of hot tea. She ends up draping one of the blankets over her flat curls.

Rose makes her way to the stern; after everything she went through she feels that she belongs more with the third class passengers. She has no plans to return back to first class. Her heart is still reeling…she can't believe that Jack is gone. She can hardly believe how quickly she fell in love with Jack Dawson since they had only known each other those short three days. But it was the truest love that she had ever known; one that she will treasure for the rest of her life. They should have had forever; they should be together making plans for the next step of their lives. Would they have gotten married? Rose shook that thought from her head; she had no doubt in her heart that Jack would have married her if he had survived. Deep in her soul, she knew a part of her would never stop loving Jack until the day that she died.

Late afternoon, the deck becomes crowded with Titanic survivors; the majority out on the deck is third class passengers. Rose still has her blanket over her head, when she hears a steward talking to a first class passenger. She hears the steward say "You won't find any of your people here, sir. It's all steerage."

Rose is curious, and slightly turns to see that it is Cal. She is devastated to see that Cal survived. It is so unfair…why did a kind soul like Jack had to die and a bastard like Cal survived? She has nothing but hate for Cal now. Her mind is made up…after everything that her and Jack went through to be together it would be a slap to Jack's memory if she returned to her old life. She tightens the blanket around her hair so Cal wouldn't see her. Cal walks along the deck searching among the sad faces, when she suddenly hears him say "Rose!"

Cal is not that far away from her, and she really thinks that he had found her. But he grabs a woman with similar red hair. He is shocked seeing that the woman is not her, and walks away from the woman with a look that has a mixture of regret and sorrow.

Rose is relieved when Cal finally walks away and makes his way back to first class. She feels slightly guilty making Cal and her mother believe that she is dead. But she is going to keep her promise to Jack that she will live her life. She was surprised seeing Cal like that; he had never shown his emotions like that before. He looked like a man with regrets, but it wouldn't change her mind. Any love that she had for Cal was long gone. Maybe a small part of Cal did actually love her, but she could not forgive what he did during the sinking. Cal never had treated her like the woman he loved; he just treated her as a trophy that he could show off to his high society friends. Maybe with her "death" Cal will learn that love has to be earned and cannot be bought.

The rest of the voyage, Rose spends the majority of her time on the deck with the third class passengers or in the third class dining saloon. She sticks to the third class areas and avoids first class like the plague. Unfortunately all of Jack's third class friends did not survive. It would have been nice to see a friendly face, and it broke her heart that all those good people died. Part of her seriously considered trying to find Molly Brown, the only down-to-earth first class person she actually liked, but it would be too risky.

It was nighttime when the Carpathia finally arrived in New York. Rose was out on the deck despite that it was raining. She stared at the Statue of Liberty; a symbol of freedom. A young officer walked up to her with a clipboard and kindly asked, "Can I take your name please, love?" Rose turned and replied, "Dawson. Rose Dawson." The officer nodded and wrote her name down on the list.

Rose now felt a sense of peace. It felt right taking Jack's last name. It was not only a perfect way to remain hidden from her mother and Cal, but to honor Jack and the life they would have made together. Rose Dewitt-Bukater died with the Titanic; now as Rose Dawson she was ready to live her life.

Rose decides to head back inside, when she feel something bump against her leg. She reaches into one of the pockets of the coat she is wearing, and finds the Heart of the Ocean. She can't believe that the diamond survived the sinking, and quickly puts the diamond back into her pocket. She suddenly remembers that the coat she is wearing was the one Cal put on her at the lifeboats! It didn't surprise her that Cal tried to save the diamond, but thought it was funny that he unintentionally gave the diamond to her. Well it was supposed to be his engagement gift to her, so it made sense that she would now be the owner of the blasted necklace. She could sell it and be set for life…but something stopped her. If she tried to sell it, that would give Cal a clue that she was still alive. It also meant that she was accepting his money once again. She found some money in the other pocket, and decided she would use that for room and board once the ship docked. She would find a job and make her own way. Maybe she could fulfill her dreams of becoming an actress; the world was now full of possibilities for her.

 ** _I got inspired when I heard the song "Forever" by Rascal Flatts. I thought it fit perfectly with Titanic's theme and it's my first attempt to write an original Titanic story on my own. I usually write short stories based on the movie, trying to get into the head of the characters. I plan on switching between Rose and Cal's point of view and how they deal with the aftermath of the sinking. I'm a little nervous on writing this, so please don't be afraid to give me constructive criticism if I start to make them too out of character._**


	2. Chapter 2

Ch. 2: The Carpathia (Cal's POV)

Cal could hardly believe that he survived the sinking. He also felt like the lowest human being in the world. He let his jealousy turn him into a vindictive, yet spineless coward. He even used a small child to get his place in the lifeboat. As he sat in the lifeboat, his social status didn't matter now. He will never forget those words that Officer Murdoch told him "Your money can't save you any more than it can save me." He also won't forget Rose calling him an unimaginable bastard. Yes, he truly was an unimaginable bastard that night.

He was now huddled among people that he once thought inferior to him. A worker covered in soot offered him a flask to drink, which he took a sip out of. He was surprised by the kind gesture. Soon it was daybreak, and a ship came into the horizon. The lifeboat immediately started rowing to the rescue ship.

Cal was one of the last passengers to get off his lifeboat; the women and children on the boat were the first to get off. The lady that helped him with the little girl agreed to care for her, and would try to see if the child's parents survived. If not, the lady was more than happy to care for the child. Cal didn't have any money left on him, but promised to give the lady money once they arrived in New York. It was the least he could do.

Once onboard the Carpathia, he made his way to the first class area of the ship. He found Ruth with Molly Brown. Ruth had a look of relief on her face when she saw him. Ruth walked up to him and said, "Caledon! I'm so happy to see that you survived. Where's Rose? Where you able to find her?"

Cal sighed and said, "It's my entire fault. Rose took off from the lifeboats because of me. She went after Jack! I tried to stop her and she spat in my face."

Ruth was shocked and replied, "No…she went down into that sinking ship to rescue that good-for-nothing man! A common thief who betrayed her trust! Rose was always naïve…I bet she even fell in love with that scum!"

Cal bristled and said, "That man is a better man than I'll ever be! I framed him because I was jealous! He loved Rose! He protected her from me!"

Ruth was stunned and said, "What do you mean by that?" Cal said, "I let my jealousy turn me into such a vindictive bastard. I found Jack with Rose again at the lifeboats. Rose refused to leave the ship without Jack. I lied to her saying that I would use my arrangement to save myself and Jack. I figured that would be the only way to convince her to board a lifeboat. Jack went along with it because he wanted her safe too. It almost worked, but she jumped back onboard to be with Jack. I was so shocked and brokenhearted seeing them together that I shot at them. I was aiming at Jack, and I chased them back into the flooding lower decks."

Ruth said, "My god Cal! How could you? Rose was going to be your wife. I would have straightened her out." Cal said, "No, despite that I loved her, Rose was never in love with me. There is nothing that you could have done about that. Now thanks to my actions, Rose is most likely dead." Ruth said, "Please Cal, I know that Rose wasn't faithful to you, but she's my only child. Please find her or at least let me know if she didn't survive. I need to know." Cal said, "I'll try. I really hope she is alive… and I hope she can forgive me."

It was later in the afternoon when Cal made his way to the stern where the third class passengers were staying. A steward took a look at him and said, "You won't find any of your people down here, sir. It's all steerage." But Cal ignored the man, and started searching for Rose among these third class passengers.

It seemed fruitless… none of these people were Rose. Suddenly he saw a flash of red hair! He saw it was a young woman, and he rushed to this woman's side. He touched the woman's arm and cried, "Rose!" His voice had a mixture of happiness and relief; something that surprised him! He wasn't one to show his emotions on his sleeve. But as the woman turned to him, it wasn't Rose! It was a different woman. He had no idea that Rose was only a few feet away from him. Cal walked away from the woman and felt his heart breaking. He continued to walk around the deck, hoping that at least he could find Jack. If he found Jack, then he could find Rose. But there was no sign of Rose or Jack anywhere. Cal had to come to the heartbreaking conclusion that Rose died with Jack in the sinking. He would check the survivor lists later, but he had a bad feeling that he would not find their names on the list.

Cal knew he had an expression of regret and grief on his face; he really was letting his emotions take over him. But he had to be strong to let Ruth know the heartbreaking truth that Rose didn't survive.

He made his way back to Ruth, and Ruth could see it all over Cal's face that Rose was nowhere to be found. Ruth walked up and said, "You couldn't find Rose. I can see it written on your face." Cal sighed and said, "I searched practically everywhere on deck and there was no sign of her. I even looked for Jack. Ruth, I am so sorry. I truly think that Rose died with Jack during the sinking." Ruth said, "Maybe Rose is just hiding. We must check the survivor lists later."

Cal spent the rest of the voyage in first class with Ruth. If Rose was dead, Cal would have to start canceling the wedding once he returned to Pittsburg and start planning a funeral for her. Ruth solemnly agreed with him, and said she would return to Philadelphia after all the arrangements were done. Cal also had to make sure to get a copy of the survivor and deceased passenger lists in order to prove that Rose was dead or alive.

Once the ship arrived in New York, Cal asked the officer in charge of the lists if he could check the survivor lists. The officer said, "Mr. Hockley, if Miss Dewitt-Bukator is not on these lists, I hate to say that it is most likely that she didn't survive. We are docking tonight, and disembarking tomorrow morning. We will try to cross-reference names as passengers disembark, and post the names at White Star Line's New York offices."

Cal checked the first class passenger lists first…there was only one Dewitt-Bukator on that list, Ruth. He decided to check the third class passenger list. There was no Rose Dewitt-Bukator; he decided to look for Jack's name. He indeed found one Dawson, but it was a woman's name. There was no Jack Dawson; his worst fears were confirmed. Rose had indeed died with Jack that night! He felt his heart breaking again knowing that the woman that he loved was now gone forever. He was now full of grief and sorrow again. He truly regretted not treasuring Rose and realizing too late on how much he had loved her. He wished he had handled things differently. Now he had to deal with the grief of losing Rose, and having to pick up the pieces of his shattered heart.

 ** _Luckily I had time after classes to post this second chapter. This was a bit hard for me to write from Cal's point of view (I mentioned in one of my previous stories that Cal was not one of my favorite characters). I hope that I'm not making him too out of character, and I am trying to make him regret his actions. Hope you enjoy!_**


	3. Chapter 3

Ch. 3: New York City (Rose's POV)

Thankfully, the third class passengers were the last ones to disembark on the Carpathia. Rose had no idea where she was headed. She heard of the free rooms offered by the Waldorf-Astoria, but she felt it would be too risky since her mother and Cal would probably stay there before heading home to Pennsylvania. Thank goodness for the little money she had…she would try to find an affordable boarding house and maybe find a job. She hated that she had no usable skills, but she was willing to learn.

Rose found a little boarding house a few blocks away from the docks. It wasn't much, but it would be a place to stay. She entered the door, and was greeted by a kind, middle aged woman.

The lady greeted her and said, "Hello Miss. I'm Maggie Carson. Welcome to Carson Boarding House. Are you looking for a place to stay?" Rose smiled at the woman, pleased that the woman was friendly, and replied, "Yes, I do. I don't have much money; I'm afraid I've lost practically everything I owned."

Maggie took one look at Rose's worn dress and said, "Let me guess; where you on the Titanic, dear?" Rose gave a look and said "How did you guess?" Maggie chuckled and said, "It's not difficult. Your dress indicates you been through an ordeal. And the Titanic has been news…quite a tragedy. You must be high society dear; I can tell by your dress and your demeanor."

Rose said, "I was, but as I said, I lost everything on the Titanic." Maggie then said, "It's alright dear. What is your name? I'd be more than glad to help you get back onto your feet." Rose smiled and said, "Rose Dawson." Maggie returned the smile and replied, "What a lovely name. Tell me, do you have any family?" Rose said, "It was just me and my mother. I was engaged, but I am never going back to that man."

Maggie gave a sympathetic look and said, "Rose, did you run away?" Rose said, "In a way, I did. You might think me an awful person, but my mother and bastard of an ex-fiancé probably believe I'm dead. I hated my life with them, and after everything I've been through I'm going to make my life count." Maggie said, "Well Rose, you are more than welcome to stay here. Is Rose your real name?" Rose laughed and said, "Yes, Rose is my name. I would prefer not to mention my high-society last name. "

Maggie chuckled and said, "Well then, I'll put Rose Dawson on my register. I promise I won't pry. You seem to be a nice girl who won't give me any trouble. It's been rather hard for me since my husband died last year, and I've had young girls take advantage of my kindness."

Rose said, "I'm not that kind of person. I appreciate your help Maggie. How much would a room be?" Maggie said, "I normally charge $5 a month, but since you are starting over I'll charge you $3 for your first month here. If you stay here longer I'll continue it for a while." Rose said, "That's sounds great. I hope to find work soon. But I'm afraid that I'll be hopeless at it." Maggie said, "Do you have any useable skills, Rose?" Rose said, "I'm afraid not much. My mother sent me off to finishing school at a young age. I can speak perfect French, and I know a little about art. But I'm willing to learn."

Maggie's heart went out to the poor girl. Rose was going to have a hard life out of high society, but she admired the girl for wanting to make it on her own. Maggie said, "Well, Rose, I could use some help around the house. I lost my best worker about a month ago, and it's been hard running the place on my own. I'll teach you the basics…I'll have you help me with the rooms and even help me serve the meals. I don't expect you to be great, but maybe once you learn you'd be able to get a better job soon. I won't be able to pay you much."

Rose was so grateful and hugged Maggie. Rose said, "Thank you so much Maggie. You have no idea how grateful I am." Maggie laughed, "It's nothing Rose; like I said I need the help and you need a place to stay. Now let's see if we can get you some better clothes."

Rose then followed Maggie to the room where she would be staying, and luckily Maggie had found some clothes that would fit her. Rose realized she would have to buy some more clothing later, but she was so grateful that Maggie was willing to help her. Once Maggie taught her basic housekeeping skills, Rose could try to get a waitress job or even a job as a maid for one of the fancy hotels nearby. But Rose wanted to see the world; she would stay in New York and try to save some money. Once she had enough she wanted to at least make it to Santa Monica; the place that her and Jack dreamed of going to together. She was just grateful for the help and she knew she was heading in the right direction in making her life count.

 ** _After a long day at work, I felt it was time to relax and post a new chapter. I will try to post a new update soon...trying to write some new chapters, while juggling a job and college._**


	4. Chapter 4

Ch. 4: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (Cal's POV)

After arriving in New York, Cal and Ruth stayed at the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel and prepared to return home. Cal sent his father, Nathan, a telegram that Rose was dead and that he would return home within the next few days. Cal knew his father would be furious over the loss of the Heart of the Ocean, but knew that the insurance would cover that loss. And instead of a wedding, the Hockley Family would be paying for Rose's funeral.

Of course there was no body found… Cal truly believed that Rose's body was within Titanic at the bottom of the sea. Cal got the copy of the survivor and deceased lists and was able to get Rose Dewitt-Bukator declared legally dead…having no idea that she was alive and well as Rose Dawson.

Once back safely home Pittsburg and Philadelphia society was outraged hearing that such a beautiful and young woman of high society died in that horrible tragedy. Cal was now the object of pity being the man that lost his beloved fiancé. But rumors also began to swirl that Rose must have left Cal during the voyage; how else could they explain why a first class girl was not on a lifeboat? Cal was angry with those rumors, especially since they were based in truth. Rose had left him for another man; a lowly third-class artist who was inferior to Cal in every way. Nathan Hockley could see how these rumors were affecting his son, but decided to talk to Cal after they dealt with canceling the wedding and Rose's funeral.

The funeral was the hardest day of Cal's life. Ruth and Cal decided to hold the funeral in Philadelphia, where Rose was born and raised. Ruth was crying bitterly; no doubt blaming herself for putting all that pressure on Rose. The service was lovely and honored Rose's young life. There was no burial at the cemetery.

There was a small reception at the Hockley's Philadelphia home; the Philadelphia home would have been Cal and Rose's home after their wedding. The Hockley family planned to stay a few days there and return to Pittsburg. Afterwards Ruth said her goodbyes and headed to her home. Ruth had no idea what she was going to do next, thinking that the Hockley family would leave her out in the cold. But Cal had arranged that Ruth would be taken cared for, despite the fact that she was no longer going to be his mother-in-law. Cal no longer wanted to be that bastard that Rose hated, and he felt that by helping Ruth it would be a step in the right direction to make up for his misdeeds.

Cal headed to his room, and just sat there in the dark. He had a long and emotional day…the funeral was not only a goodbye to Rose, but goodbye to the life that he and Rose would have shared. Throughout the engagement, Cal really did try to get Rose to fall in love with him. From the start he could tell that Rose wasn't in love with him, but she didn't hate him. At first, it appeared that Rose was willing to give him a chance. But he let his social and business obligations get in the way; he realized that he didn't make the time to truly get to know Rose. Rose began to become more distant, and by the time of their European vacation Rose's rebellious side was coming out more and more. Cal actually loved Rose's spirited side, but it was not appropriate out in public. So he tried to control it; a grave mistake now that he thought about it.

Thinking of the whole ordeal, Cal wondered how the hell Jack Dawson managed to get Rose to fall in love with him so quickly. What did that gutter rat have that he didn't? Jack didn't have one cent to his name; Cal had to admit that Jack was handsome and charming. He was also closer to Rose in age; Cal didn't know how old Jack was, but he suspected Jack was in his 20s. The more that Cal thought on it, he figured that Jack claimed Rose's heart just by being himself. There was a sense of friendship between them at the dinner, which quickly turned to love.

Cal remembered when he first met Rose. Ruth and Rose were at a local charity ball that he and his father were attending, when Ruth saw the opportunity to introduce them. Cal was immediately taken with Rose's beauty the moment he set eyes on her.

Cal wasn't sure if he ever wanted to get married; he was quite wild in his youth and had numerous girlfriends over the years. That was the reason why his father hired Spicer Lovejoy to keep his son out of trouble. Nathan was growing increasingly frustrated that his 30 year old son had yet to find a suitable wife, and finally gave Cal an ultimatum. Cal must marry before his 31st birthday or be disinherited.

Ruth and Rose began to attend more social functions that the Hockleys were attending. It turned out that Rose's father was a former business partner of Nathan Hockley. Nathan had heard rumors that the Dewitt-Bukators were becoming bankrupt, and when Ruth approached him a deal was made. Ruth offered that Rose would make a suitable wife for Cal, in exchange for help in paying off the Dewitt-Bukator's debts. Cal was not happy at first, but when he realized it was the beautiful redhead that he met at that charity ball he agreed. Nathan arranged for Cal to begin to court Rose, and plans were made for Cal to propose within a few months.

Cal became fascinated with Rose during their whirlwind courtship, and he actually began to fall in love with her. Rose was different from the other first class women; she had spirit and passion. She was intelligent and very well read; she was rather opinionated and wasn't afraid to speak her mind. Rose expressed an interest in wanting to attend university, but that was out of the question. Most high society women were expected to run their homes and only went to finishing school to learn these skills.

Cal was afraid that he wouldn't have anything in common with Rose, but they both loved the arts. Rose was more into the newer art scenes, where he had more traditional tastes. Rose loved any type of art that made her feel something. It led to some healthy debates between them, which Rose would end up winning most of them. Cal ended up proposing at his mother's birthday gala, and Rose accepted his proposal. Rose had a smile on her face, but it did not quite reach her eyes.

After the engagement was announced, wedding plans began. Cal and Rose were engaged the fall of 1911, and plans were made for them to be married in the spring of 1912. The wedding was set for May 1912, with an engagement gala to be held in April. To celebrate their engagement, Cal arranged for a European vacation, and they headed off to Europe in February 1912. Their last stop was in Paris, France where Rose was able to get some fine art and do some exquisite shopping. In France, Cal found and bought Rose's engagement gift, the Heart of the Ocean. One week later, they were in England preparing to head home when Cal heard the stories of the great unsinkable Titanic. Titanic was scheduled to head to New York on April 10th, and Cal quickly booked the tickets for their return trip home. Cal wanted to impress Rose, so he booked nothing but the best. He would be one of the wealthiest passengers onboard Titanic, until J.J and Madeline Astor boarded in Cherbourg, France.

It was supposed to just be an ordinary trip returning home; he did not count on Jack Dawson changing everything! He remembered that night that he first laid eyes on that third class ruffian; Cal had been socializing with the other first class men when he was called out to the stern. Rose had apparently been attacked by a third class passenger! It made his blood boil that someone would attack Rose! He took one look at Rose and saw her torn dress and her tear-streaked face. Cal hated seeing Rose looking like that, and immediately confronted the man. He was angry when he grabbed Jack and yelled, "What made you think you could put your hands on my fiancé?! Look at me you filth! What did you think you were doing?!"

The man held his ground, but both men did not expect for Rose to speak up! Rose told him that it was a stupid accident; that she had been leaning over the railings to look at the propellers and slipped, only to be rescued by the third class man. Cal did not notice the pleading look in Rose's eyes that she gave Jack. He saw Jack give a look towards Rose, and then confirmed Rose's story. Part of Cal did not truly believe Rose, but he was just grateful that she was okay. He was going to leave without a thought until Gracie reminded him that the man deserved a reward for saving Rose. He quickly told Lovejoy to give Jack $20 as a reward, to which Rose scoffed at. That's when he invited Jack to dinner, and was more than surprised when Jack accepted his offer.

After the ordeal, Rose retreated to her stateroom and decided to get ready for bed. Cal knew that Rose had been rather melancholy and decided to present her with his engagement gift to cheer her up. Rose looked absolutely breathtaking in her simple white nightdress. She was sitting at her vanity combing her hair, but she had a look of sadness in her eyes. When he walked in, her features changed. She had a look that she was on guard, and he hoped that his gift would show how much he cared for her.

At the dinner he couldn't believe Jack Dawson's transformation! He had expected for Dawson to show up in his lowly third-class rags and make a fool of himself. Dawson walked up to him, with Rose on his arm, looking the very picture of a first-class gentleman. He was amazed how well Dawson did that night; Jack managed to charm every person he met. But he was a bit uneasy seeing the easy and friendly relationship between his fiancé and Dawson. He should have put a stop to it right then and there; but he suspected if he had done that it would have drove Rose into Jack's arms even faster.

Cal was furious when he found out from Lovejoy that Rose had snuck off to a third-class party with Jack, and made his displeasure known at breakfast the next morning. That was another thing Cal hated himself for; he acted like a spoiled child and he could not forget the fear in Rose's eyes. He would also never forget the look of love in Rose's eyes that she had for Jack right before she jumped from the lifeboat.

Cal took another sip of his brandy, and felt his grief and anger course through his veins. Cal desperately wanted these emotions to be gone, but he knew that it would be a long time before he could heal. Part of him feared he never would. Tragically he knew that a part of him would always be in love with Rose and would forever hate himself for not realizing it until it was too late.


	5. Chapter 5

Ch. 5: Six Months Later (Rose's POV)

Six months have now passed since the sinking. Rose was now living a simple, but happy life in New York. She managed to keep up with the news from Philadelphia and read that her mother and Cal had held a funeral for her. She had a mixture of sadness and relief hearing that news. She was mostly relieved that no one was looking for her, but she was still dealing with her own grief over Jack's death. She has her good and bad days, but Jack seems to haunt her dreams almost every night.

Most of the time her dreams of Jack are wonderful; she dreams of them dancing at the third class party, their first kiss on the bow, when he drew her in her stateroom, when they made love, and that smile and kiss Jack gave her when she told him she was getting off the ship with him.

Her nightmares are terrifying; Jack's arrest and the betrayal she felt, the horrifying realization that Cal had framed Jack and left him for dead, Cal chasing and shooting at them, nearly drowning in the depths of Titanic's lower decks, riding the stern into the ocean and the worst one is of Jack's lifeless body sinking underwater.

Her nightmares make her wake up in a cold sweat, and her heart breaks even more wishing that Jack had survived. Rose knows that only time will help diminish the pain, but she knows she'll never completely get over losing Jack.

Maggie has turned out to be a wonderful friend. Maggie had the patience of a saint when she was teaching Rose the housekeeping skills. Now Rose could do the chores around the boarding house just as well as Maggie. Maggie had even started to teach Rose how to cook, and now Rose had mastered a few simple recipes. Whenever the boarding house was full, Rose started to help Maggie cook the breakfasts and after the work was done, the two would share a meal together and visit.

Rose was grateful that she had made a true friend and that she had a place to stay. She was grateful that Maggie would pay her for the jobs she did around the house. During the first months, she used her money to buy some clothes and pay her rent. Now she was saving her money, and it looked like she was getting closer to having enough money for a ticket to California. The first thing she wanted to do was visit Santa Monica, and ride a horse in the surf like Jack said they would do. She also wanted to travel and see the world like Jack did.

Rose decided that by the end of 1912, she was going to leave New York and start her adventures. She would have to tell Maggie that she was planning on leaving, and she knew it would make the woman sad.

After their chores were done, Maggie and Rose sat down and tried to eat something. Maggie could tell that Rose had a lot on her mind. Maggie said, "Rose, you're being very quiet today. Did you have another nightmare or a lot on your mind?"

Rose just chuckled and said, "No thank goodness, I haven't had any nightmares lately. But I do have a lot on my mind today. Maggie, you've become such a wonderful friend to me. You've helped me out, and I'll always be grateful to you."

Maggie said, "Oh, Rose. You've been a wonderful friend to me too. Let me guess, are you planning on leaving New York?" Rose said, "Actually I am. I'm staying until the end of the year. I hope you don't hate me."

Maggie said, "Oh, no. I don't hate you for wanting to leave and live your life. I didn't expect for you to stay in New York forever. I will miss you once you're gone. You've been a great help to me, and I'm grateful I taught you some skills. Now I won't be so nervous when you're out in the world on your own. Promise me one thing though."

Rose smiled and said, "What is it?" Maggie said, "Just be happy. I also want you to stay in touch with me. I'd like to see pictures of you and your future family."

Rose said, "Oh, Maggie. I doubt I'll ever get married." Maggie said, "I'm sure whoever you are grieving for would not want you to live your life alone." Rose sighed and said, "You're probably right about that. It's just much too painful thinking about love and marriage at this point. I went through too much on Titanic; I'm still trying to heal and I know only time will help."

Maggie's heart went out to Rose again. She knew that Rose went through quite an ordeal on Titanic, but Rose would clam up whenever Titanic or love was mentioned. She suspected that Rose was suffering from a broken heart, and wished that Rose would talk to get that heavy burden off her chest. Maggie knew from personal experience how unhealthy it was keeping grief bottled up inside, and she didn't want that for poor Rose.

Rose knew that she should talk about her experiences on Titanic with somebody, but it was still too raw. It was too painful to think about Jack, and it would be even harder for her to talk about him. She rather live with her memories of him, and cherish the short time that she had with him.

There were times when she was in her room that her grief and anger would overwhelm her. She missed Jack terribly…it wasn't fair that he died. If those stupid lifeboats had come back to the wreck site right away, perhaps he could have been saved. He did not deserve to freeze to death. Rose knew that he sacrificed himself so she would live! Part of her was angry at Jack for doing that, but she understood that he did it out of love. She'll always be grateful to Jack for showing her what love was really like. She remembered telling him that it wasn't up to him to save her, but he did. He saved her in every way that a person could be saved. Maybe one day she'd meet someone new and fall in love again, but it would never compare to the love she had for Jack. Jack was her once-in-a-lifetime love; a love that would never let go until she was gone.

But Rose was determined to keep her promise. After six long months…she felt that now she would be able to keep that promise. She was going to live her life to the fullest. She was nervous, but excited for the next stage of her life.

Maggie decided to change the tone of the conversation, and asked, "So Rose, where do you plan on going after you leave New York?" Rose actually smiled and said, "I'd like to go to California first. There's a place there I have to see; after that I'd like to travel the world."

Maggie said, "Goodness girl…that's an ambitious dream. You'd be considered a scandal…an unmarried woman traveling on her own!"

Rose laughed and said, "Just call me a tumbleweed blowing in the wind." She had to laugh at her choice of words…that's what Jack used to describe himself on Titanic.

Maggie laughed too and said, "Indeed…that's an interesting choice of words. Are you going to try to become an actress? I remember you mentioning it once."

Rose said, "Maybe I will in California. I'll probably stay there for a while to save extra money for my travels. I know I'll miss you Maggie. You're the only real friend that I've had."

Maggie said, "Oh, Rose…we'll always be friends. And if you do become famous, I can proudly say that I know you!"

Rose was truly grateful that Maggie understood. With her worries behind, Rose felt more than prepared for the next step of her life. Everything seemed to be falling into place for her…she was no longer the naïve, spoiled rich girl from Titanic. She was now a strong and independent woman ready to take on the world.


	6. Chapter 6

Ch. 6: Six Months Later (Cal's POV)

Cal could hardly believe that six months have now passed since the sinking. These six months have been such a dark and lonely time for him. Losing Rose had hit him hard… his grief and anger still struck him almost every day. He was no longer the confident and arrogant man that he had been on Titanic.

Cal seemed to wallow in his depression, and his parents were getting concerned. Cal hardly attended social functions now; he would only make a few appearances and then quickly return home to his dark bedroom.

Nathan managed to get the insurance matter of the loss of the Heart of Ocean taken cared of under the matters of absolute secrecy. The wedding had been quickly cancelled, and Nathan was able to get some reimbursements. Nathan wished that he could use his wealth to help Cal with his depression, but it was high time for his son to reenter the world. Caledon just needed a firm push in the right direction.

Cal had just returned from a long day at the mill. He was so tired, and just wanted to retreat to his bedroom. Unfortunately his father was waiting for him.

Nathan said, "Caledon, we need to have a talk." Cal sighed and said, "What do you want Father?"

Nathan said, "Cal, I'm rather worried about you. You've been wallowing in this depression ever since Rose's death. You hardly participate in the board meetings, and no longer attend social functions. This isn't healthy, son."

Cal said, "Father…I lost the love of my life. So forgive me that I can't pretend that I'm the great Caledon Hockley anymore."

Nathan said, "It's high time for you to re-enter society Cal. You have responsibilities. You can't continue to mourn Rose like this."

Cal angrily said, "Then disinherit me then. I don't give a damn." Nathan sternly said, "Cal…I did not raise you to speak that way to me. Rose would not want you suffering over her like this."

Cal said, "She probably wouldn't care. I didn't tell you everything that happened on that ship." Nathan sighed, "What did happen on that ship, Cal? Talk to me…you need to let it out."

Cal sighed and gave his father a look. Cal wasn't sure if he should tell his father the whole story, but the man had a point. Cal couldn't continue to live like this…the grief and anger was slowly destroying him. He knew his father would be angry with him, but he sat him down and began his story.

Cal began that Titanic was supposed to be an ordinary trip home. Rose had been rather melancholy, but he figured she would cheer up once they returned home. They were supposed to be celebrating their engagement gala the next week; and then their wedding in May. Even though they had nothing but the best on Titanic, Rose was still unhappy. That it was on the second night of the voyage, everything changed when Rose had that accident and met Jack Dawson. A hatred burned in Cal; he couldn't help but hate Jack for stealing Rose's love from him.

Once Cal finished, Nathan was shocked hearing the story! Nathan was surprised hearing how quickly Rose had fallen for a young, penniless artist. Rose was going to marry into one of wealthiest families in Pennsylvania, and just decided to give everything up because she fell in love with a charming third-class man! The way Cal portrayed Jack…this man was nothing but a good-looking drifter who managed to steal his son's fiancé!

Nathan said in disbelief, "So this is why those rumors of Rose leaving you affected you so much; she really did leave you for another man! I cannot believe that Rose fell in love with a lowly artist! She was a proper lady…about to marry you! What did this Jack have that you didn't?"

Cal said, "That's what I ask myself every day! I blame myself for allowing that little gutter rat to steal her from right under my nose! I blame myself for not listening to Rose; I should have paid more attention to her. I think Jack won her heart by becoming her friend first."

Nathan said, "Cal, you know that marriages in our world aren't based on love. Oh, they can turn to love, but they are mostly arranged. You know Rose was only marrying you to help her mother's debts. How do you expect to keep control of our company if you cannot even manage to control a wife?"

Cal said, "I think that is what drove Rose away from me! I did try to control her, and it seriously backfired! I tried to keep them apart, and it drove her straight into his arms! Worst of all, my jealously turned me into such an unimaginable bastard…I destroyed any love that Rose had for me!"

Nathan said, "Does anyone know what happened between you, Rose, and this Jack? This would be an embarrassment to our family and would kill any chances of you finding a respectable wife in the future!"

Cal darkly chuckled and said, "You would think of that. Ruth knows what happened, but she won't talk to save herself the embarrassment and she knows I'll take away her allowance if she does. Lovejoy knew, and is dead! Jack and Rose are dead…the only one left that knows the whole story is me. Don't worry Father…no one will know this story. No one will know what I did that night; that I wasn't the perfect gentleman."

Nathan said, "Cal, no one is perfect. You had your heart broken by the woman you loved. A woman who wasn't faithful to you and never loved you."

Cal said, "Knowing that only makes it worse. I knew from the start that Rose never loved me! But I stupidly fell head over heels in love with her… I tried everything to make her love me. Jack claimed her heart in only 3 days! In the end she hated me. I guess what they say is true…love can't be bought. It has to be earned. I had to learn it the hard way."

Talking about what happened caused Cal to have a flood of different emotions, but he did feel like an enormous weight had been lifted. His father could have been more understanding, but at least he listened. Now that he spoke about what happened on Titanic, he could try to move on with his life.


	7. Chapter 7

Ch. 7: Arrival in Santa Monica (Rose's POV)

February 1913

Finally 1913 arrived. Rose was thrilled that she now had enough money to make it to California. Rose decided not to leave New York until Maggie had found a suitable replacement. After all the help that the woman gave her, Rose couldn't leave Maggie to do all the work on her own.

Maggie was perfectly content on handling the work without Rose for a while, but she did start putting advertisements in the papers when it got closer to the New Year. But Rose was stubborn; so Maggie decided to include Rose in the process of hiring her replacement. Several girls came in for interviews, but none of them met her or Rose's expectations.

It wasn't until mid-January that a young girl named Sarah walked in for an interview. Sarah had recently lost her husband, and now in dire need of work. She was as penniless as Rose had been, and only wanted the job so she could rebuild her life. Maggie and Rose smiled, knowing that they finally found a worthy replacement.

Rose stayed for an extra week to help Sarah adapt to her new job, and finally purchased a train ticket to California. Maggie was sad to see Rose go, but she gave Rose her address and they promised to keep in touch.

The journey was long and tiring, but Rose was thrilled to be finally on her way to Santa Monica. The first thing she would do was find a place to stay. Then hopefully she'd be able to find a job, and finally she would go to the pier. As she started thinking about the pier, immediately Jack came into her mind. She sighed and she wished again that Jack had lived. Jack would have been excited and probably would've shown her all the places he had been when he was in Santa Monica.

Finally the train had stopped in California. When Rose got off the platform, she was surprised how busy the train station was. She made her way to town, and she found Santa Monica to be quite charming. It was late afternoon when she arrived, so she quickly found a hotel to stay for the night. After settling in she decided to walk to the pier, just as the sun was almost setting.

As she walked on the boardwalk, the ocean looked so beautiful and peaceful. Rose was still reluctant to get any closer… being that close to the water brought back the dark memories of the sinking.

As the wind blew in her hair, she felt happy. It brought back that final sunset on the bow. She felt as if Jack was there beside her… Rose had never been quite religious, but she felt that if there was a heaven Jack must be there. Part of her had to laugh at her musings; Jack was a good man, but far from perfect. He did fall in love with an engaged woman after all. He had an uncanny ability to read people, and he saw something worthwhile in her. She will always be grateful to him for saving her. Thanks to Jack, she was now living a somewhat happy life. Rose felt that her life probably would be happier if Jack had lived, but at least she was free from that oppressive life in first class.

Thinking about her former world, her thoughts drifted to her mother and Cal. While Rose had somewhat managed to forgive her mother, she just couldn't shake free that resentment she had towards Cal. She had read in some society papers that Cal hadn't been making appearances due to mourning his beloved fiancé. She scoffed at reading that… it was overdramatic. The press would tear Cal to shreds if they knew that his former fiancé was alive and well. Part of her wanted to reveal that Rose Dewitt-Bukator was alive and tell everyone what a bastard Caledon Hockley really was.

Rose had recently read that Cal had started courting a young woman named Abigail Dawson. Rose was shocked that Cal was courting a woman with that last name…she knew it would bring Cal memories of Jack! Then she read that Abigail was a Boston Dawson…no wonder that Cal was now courting this woman. The Boston Dawsons were just as powerful as the Hockleys, and would make a powerful alliance if Cal married Abigail. She figured Nathan must be the one encouraging Cal to marry the young woman. Abigail seemed to be about Rose's age…very young and beautiful. Rose had to scoff…Cal always had a thing for young, beautiful girls. In the picture Rose saw that Abigail seemed happy, while Cal had a look that he was just going through the motions. Cal no longer had that look of confidence and arrogance. If they married, Rose hoped that Cal would treat Abigail right. Rose could care less who Cal ended up marrying, but she did want the poor girl that did not to be miserable at his side.

Rose knew her life would be miserable if she had married Cal. Her memories came back to that morning at breakfast when Cal threw the table… she was so terrified and it scared her on how cruel and possessive Cal could be. She could just picture Cal becoming a tyrant throughout the marriage…ruling their home with an iron fist. She was later proven right during the sinking when Cal showed his true colors. She couldn't be married to such a cruel and possessive person.

Jack was a much better fit for her…she wished she had met Jack before she had gotten engaged to Cal. Rose vaguely remembered that afternoon when she stormed off from lunch to get some air on the first class deck. She was so frustrated and unhappy, and only went outside to clear her head. She was staring off into the distance when she felt that someone was staring at her. She had turned to see that it was a young third-class man looking up at her. She locked eyes with him for a moment before Cal showed up; not knowing that she would meet the young man later that night.

That night at the stern Rose was in a dark and lonely place. She was so overwhelmed, and wasn't expecting anyone out on the stern that late at night. Jack took the time to talk to her and convinced her not to jump. After pulling her over and nearly getting arrested for it, Rose had to thank the man for not only saving her life, but also keeping her secret. She went and found him in third class the next day. They spent that whole afternoon talking and it lead to an easy friendship. She was amazed how open and friendly Jack was. Jack actually listened to her. He cared about her hopes and dreams; he was the only person that encouraged her to follow them. He was also the first to bluntly ask what she thought and felt about the engagement to Cal. Jack sure startled her when he asked if she loved Cal… deep in her heart she knew that the answer was no. She just couldn't admit it to herself at the time; much less to a stranger that saved her life.

She at first thought of Jack as a friend, but she had to admit that he was very handsome. Those blue eyes were something, and that smile of his! It was enough to make a woman go weak in the knees. When Jack showed up at the dinner, she was amazed seeing his transformation. She was impressed on how well he did in her world, and she had so much fun in his world. He showed her how life should be. Falling in love with Jack…it was fast and intense. She tried to fight it, but it was useless. Jack had her heart by the time of the collision…she had been planning on leaving her world right there when that ship struck the iceberg.

Rose sighed and decided to make her way back to the hotel. She had a long journey and probably should get some sleep. Tomorrow was another day, and she was happy that she was now starting her adventures.


	8. Chapter 8

Ch.8: Preparing to Move On (Cal's POV)

Pittsburg, Pennsylvania (late 1912-early 1913)

After Cal had talked to his father, he started to slowly reenter the first class social scene. As the heir of Hockley Steel, Cal began to take on more responsibilities at work. Business was booming, but he was trying to avoid looking for another fiancé.

Cal knew that he was expected to find another woman, but he just didn't have the heart to do it. After falling in love with Rose and losing her, he wasn't sure what he would do if he got engaged to another woman that didn't love him.

Nathan gave Cal his space, but was getting anxious. Cal should have been married, and preparing to have a family of his own by now. Luckily he had heard that the Boston Dawsons were looking to invest in Hockley Steel, and a brilliant idea came to him.

Nathan had met the Dawson family a few weeks after Cal's revelation. William Dawson had a daughter named Abigail, who had just completed finishing school. Abigail was the same age as Rose, and just as beautiful. William Dawson had admitted Abigail currently had no suitors, and he was hoping to find a suitable husband for her sometime in the future. It would be a perfect alliance if Cal married Abigail Dawson. Nathan began to talk up his son to the young woman in his next meetings with the family, until she was finally interested in meeting Cal.

Nathan was thrilled, and arranged for Abigail to meet Cal at their upcoming Christmas gala in Pittsburg. He quickly returned home to tell Cal of this brilliant stroke of luck.

Nathan arrived and quickly found Cal in the study. Cal was very surprised to see his father in such a pleasant mood.

Cal said, "Well, Father, it's nice to see you in such a good mood. I take your dealings with the Dawsons went well?"

Nathan said, "Oh, yes. The Dawsons have agreed to invest in Hockley Steel. And I invited William's daughter, Abigail, to our Christmas gala. If you can believe it, she wants to meet you."

Cal was furious and said, "You invited a woman to meet me?! She may be rich, but that last name. I don't know if I can handle that!" Cal was already uncomfortable that his father was dealing with Dawsons, but to marry one! That last name just brought back too many memories of the man that stole the love of his life.

Nathan was surprised how resistant Cal was being. Nathan said, "Cal, just meet the young woman. She is pleasant company, and I do think that you will like her. It's not like you have any prospects right now."

Cal said, "All right Father…I'll meet her. But I'm not happy with the fact that my father is trying to play matchmaker again."

Nathan said, "Cal...promise me you will keep an open mind. The Dawsons are a powerful family; if they pull out of this deal it could ruin us. Abigail would be an ideal match for you; she's an improvement over Rose. This would make for a powerful alliance for us."

Cal said, "Great, now I'm feeling like the prize horse being sold. You just want me to marry her to improve our fortune."

Nathan said, "Caledon, you are nearly 31 years old. You should have married in your 20s, but you had to be wild and rebellious in your youth. It was damn lucky that Ruth was desperate to marry off Rose, but you ruined it."

Nathan immediately regretted his words when he saw that flash of anger in Cal's eyes. Cal coldly replied, "How dare you say that… you know how I blame myself for losing Rose. I loved Rose; my heart won't be able to handle another loveless engagement."

Nathan said, "Then focus on being friends with Abigail. Abigail is quite a lovely lady…she is spirited, but she is not as rebellious as Rose."

Cal gave this a thought… no woman would compare to Rose, but he couldn't spend the rest of his life mourning her. His father had a point; the least Cal could do was meet Abigail. He hardly had any friends, so maybe befriending Abigail wouldn't be so terrible.

The next few weeks passed by quickly. Before Cal knew it Thanksgiving came and went. His mother began to plan for the Christmas gala, which would be held a week before Christmas. He then received a letter from Abigail; it was a nice friendly note about how she was looking forward to the gala and getting to know him and his family better. Abigail would arrive the day before the gala, and stay with them for a few days before returning to Boston.

Finally it was the day before the gala. Nathan and his valet headed to the train station to pick up Abigail, while Cal and his mother stayed at home doing some last minute preparations.

Cal was upstairs in the study, when he heard sounds in the foyer. Nathan's voiced carried as he said, "Cal, come on downstairs. Our guest is here."

Cal took a deep breath as he headed to the foyer. As he made his way downstairs, he saw a rather beautiful young woman at his father's side. This had to be Abigail Dawson. As he saw her, he couldn't help but compare the woman to Rose. She was wearing a light pink dress, almost similar to a dress he had seen Rose wear. She had taken off her hat, but she had her dark brown hair pinned up in the latest style. Cal had to admit Abigail was just as beautiful as Rose.

Abigail turned and smiled as she saw Cal walk down the steps to join them. Abigail was a little nervous meeting Cal, but she had to admit that he was quite handsome. She locked eyes with Cal, and did notice he had a look of sadness in his eyes. She had heard that Cal had been previously engaged and lost his fiancé in the Titanic disaster. She couldn't imagine losing someone she loved like that, and figured that Cal must have loved Rose very much.

Before dinner, Nathan convinced Cal to give Abigail a tour of the gardens. Abigail could tell Cal was a bit uneasy and decided to break the ice.

Abigail said, "Are you okay, Caledon? I can tell you seem a bit uneasy." Cal said, "I'm fine, Abigail. But please, call me Cal. Caledon is a bit too formal…after all I expect our families will be seeing more of each other. So you can call me Cal; all of my friends do."

Abigail smiled and said, "Well, if we are going to be friends, then I insist you call me Abby. I never quite liked all the formalities myself. So tell me a little about yourself."

Cal sighed and said, "There's not much to tell. I'm an only child preparing to take over my father's business. "

Abigail said, "You also happen to be a survivor. I had heard you were a Titanic survivor. I am so sorry you had to go through that."

Cal said, "Thank you. I suppose you know that I was previously engaged, right?" Abigail said, "Yes, your father mentioned that you were engaged to a Rose Dewitt-Bukator, but that she died in the disaster. I can see it in your eyes… you are still grieving her. You must have loved her very much."

Cal was surprised how perceptive Abigail was. Cal replied, with some sadness in his voice, "Yes, I did. She was the love of my life."

Abigail said, "Again, I am sorry. I am sure she was a lovely woman. What was she like?"

Cal was amazed that Abigail wanted him to talk about Rose; he was supposed to be getting to know her better. Cal said, "She was quite interesting… I think you would have liked her. She was not only beautiful, but she was intelligent. She had a fiery spirit; always had an opinion about everything. She was hard to figure out sometimes, but I fell deeply in love with her."

Abigail could tell that Cal was holding something back. Abigail said, "There's something else is there? Let me guess…as much as you loved Rose, she didn't feel the same about you."

Cal said, "You hit the nail on the head. Though I had fallen in love with Rose, she wasn't in love with me."

Abigail said, "I don't understand why our world seems to pressure us to marry for convenience, instead of for love. Everyone else can marry for love; why can't we? I know that marriage in our world is a way of making alliances or saving our fortunes. But I wonder how better off our world would be if we married for love?"

Cal was amazed at this woman…it was like he was talking to Rose again. But sadly, Abigail wasn't Rose. But his father was right…Abigail was very pleasant company and Cal looked forward to getting to know her better.

The Christmas Gala turned out to be enjoyable. Abigail loved the dancing and even made Cal dance a few times with her. Nathan was pleased seeing how well Cal and Abigail were getting along. Cal's mother, Elizabeth, was also happy seeing Cal with Abigail. Abigail had managed to make her son smile again; a first in a very long time.

After the gala, Cal and Abigail began to get to know each other better. The next afternoon, Cal was walking in the gardens and found Abby with a notepad sketching away. It turned out that Abigail was a talented artist; she dreamed of being a fashion designer, but she knew it would be impossible. Abigail knew she was expected to marry, and any potential suitor would not support her dream. It made her an oddity, which frustrated her father.

Cal had secretly groaned inwardly finding out about Abby's art talent. First, Jack was an artist and now Abby too? He began to secretly wonder if Jack happened to be distantly related to Abby's family.

Abigail left a few days after the Christmas Gala, but promised to visit after the New Year. Her next visit though would be including her parents. Cal actually felt sad to see his new friend go, which surprised him. They really were starting to become friends…Abby turned out to be easy to talk to, and she didn't mind him talking about Rose. Of course, he didn't plan on telling Abby about what happened on Titanic, but it was nice to open up to someone besides his father.

Abigail returned home to Boston, thinking back on her visit with the Hockley family. She really was beginning to take an interest in Cal, and could easily see herself falling in love with him. She had suspicions that he was a different person before the Titanic disaster, and that he was trying to change his ways. There was a lot about Caledon Hockley that she didn't know, but she was glad that they were becoming friends. Her father had sternly told her not to mess things up; she knew sooner or later the two families were going to try to pair her and Cal together. But she wanted to get to know Cal a whole lot better before agreeing to marry him. She heard of the whirlwind courtship between Cal and Rose, and did not want that for herself. She did not want to agree to a marriage without being in love with her future husband. She didn't want to be another Rose to Cal; she suspected Cal's heart wouldn't be able to handle another loveless engagement. If Cal wanted to court her, she would insist on a long courtship before they even talked about getting engaged.

Cal was looking forward to seeing Abigail again. Even though she was no Rose, Abigail was someone that he could eventually fall in love with. Learning from his mistakes with Rose, Cal decided to take this future relationship slow so he could at least have a chance at a loving marriage.

After the New Year, with some pressure from his father, Cal asked William Dawson for permission to court Abigail. Nathan and William were thrilled… both wanted their children married as soon as possible. The press started taking pictures of the new couple right away; something that Cal and Abby did not like. Most high society gossips were happy for them, but there were some that commented that Cal was moving on from Rose rather fast. Abigail hated that, and so she and Cal made a pact to not even discuss getting married until they made it to their one-year anniversary as a couple.

If it had been up to his father, Cal would already be proposing to Abigail. But Cal was relieved that Abigail wanted to take things slow. Despite the fact that he was still deeply in love with Rose, he was becoming rather fond of Abigail. Cal secretly hoped his fondness for the girl could turn to love, but he would just have to wait and see.

 _ **I was able to get this chapter done before I got stuck with writer's block. I'm working on the next one from Rose's point of view. I found it easy to write on how Cal would meet his future wife...but I am having a hard time writing on how Rose will meet her future husband. I have a good chunk of that chapter written, but it may be a little longer till it is to my liking.**_


	9. Chapter 9

Ch. 9: Preparing to Move On (Rose's POV)

After her arrival in Santa Monica, Rose found a job as a waitress at a small diner nearby the pier. She was able to find a small apartment nearby. The work was long and tiring, but she did make some great tips. She took on a happy and pleasant personality at work, which made her a hit among her co-workers and the customers.

Rose never thought that she could be so outgoing, and she suspected that it had to be because of Jack's influence on her. It also could do with the fact that she was free to be herself.

She gradually made friends with the majority of her co-workers. The other girls were amazed that a pretty girl like Rose was unmarried. They were even shocked when Rose replied she didn't plan on marrying anytime soon. Rose knew no matter what class she was from, women were expected to eventually settle down and marry. Some of her gentlemen customers would try to flirt with her, but she would rebuff their advances. In Rose's opinion, no man could hold a candle to Jack. Jack was now her standard to which she compared other men to. If she was to fall in love again, she wanted someone who was kind and somewhat adventurous. Most importantly she wanted a man who made her feel safe again. She had that sense of safety with Jack; Jack truly had cared about her wellbeing. He proved that during the sinking and paid dearly for it with his life. All she knew she did not want another Cal in her life again.

Rose had been so busy adjusting to her new life, that she really hadn't a chance to explore Santa Monica again. She did manage to ride the rollercoaster on one of her days off… she had a lot of fun, and was surprised she didn't throw up. She decided against drinking the cheap beer; at least until she had a friend accompany her. She found the stable where tourists could pay to ride the horses for a few hours. The horses were lovely, but she had no one to teach her how to ride. Again, she wished that Jack was here with her.

Rose had to admit to herself that she was beginning to feel lonely being out in the world. At least in New York, she had Maggie. But at least her life wasn't too bad…she had a job and a place to stay. Her mother would be shocked seeing her live like this, but Rose was glad to be out of her mother's rule. She may not be living in the lap of luxury, but she was free to make her own decisions.

There was a young man, who had been stopping by the diner regularly. His name was Robert Calvert, and was an aspiring photographer. He managed to befriend Rose, and Rose was surprised how much Robert reminded her of Jack.

Robert was almost as tall as Jack, and also had blue eyes. Not the same shade as Jack's, but they carried the same warmth. Robert had an easy-going personality, which made her like him enough to become friends.

It was pure chance that Rose and Robert met. Rose had been working, when one of the male customers had been harassing her. The burly man had pinched her backside, which made Rose extremely angry. Rose said, "Excuse me sir… that was uncalled for. I am trying to work here, so leave me alone or I will ask you to leave."

The man chuckled and said, "Oh, come on, doll face, I just meant it as a joke. You're such a pretty lass, that I couldn't resist."

Rose was about to say something, when a young man sitting at a nearby table spoke up. The young man said, "Sir that was highly uncalled for. The lady is simply trying to do her job; she doesn't need to be harassed by a pig like you. Now leave the lady alone, or I'll drag you out the door myself. Oh, and apologize to the lady." The older man said, "You must be joking!" The young man said, "No, I'm not. I'm being deadly serious." He gave the burly man a look that showed he was serious, leaving the older man in complete surprise. The burly man quickly murmured an apology, paid his tab, and quickly walked out of the door.

Robert was secretly happy that the burly man walked off… he really didn't want to get into a fight, but the poor waitress did not deserve that kind of treatment from a man. The young girl was indeed beautiful, and he was impressed that she had stood up for herself.

Rose was very surprised that this stranger intervened… it would be something that Jack would do. She quickly noticed that the man was preparing to leave, and knew she couldn't let that man leave without thanking him.

Rose said, "Wait… I want to thank you for what you did. Not many would have interfered." Robert smiled and said, "It's not a problem miss. It was my pleasure…I just didn't think it was right the way that man was treating you. You are trying to work; and in my opinion, you should be treated with respect. I was impressed that you tried to stand up to him."

Rose said, "Well, he was being very rude. I came from a world where women had to hold their tongues, and I no longer want to be treated as an object. I'm no longer afraid to stick up for myself."

Robert chuckled said, "Well, they do say that redheads do have tempers. Are you sure you're not Irish?" Rose laughed and said, "I'm originally from Philadelphia! There may be some on my mother's side of the family, though."

Robert said, "Ahh… so you're from back east. Forgive me for asking, but you sound awfully refined for a waitress. What's your name?"

Rose said, "I'm Rose Dawson. Now that I've told you my name, what's yours?" Robert smiled and said, "I'm Robert Calvert, but you can call me Bobby. So you're a Dawson? Are you related to the Boston Dawsons? They seem to be all over the society gossip lately."

Rose said, "Actually no. I was born and raised in Philadelphia to old money, but we lost it all." Robert said, "Oh… let me guess Dawson must be your husband's name?"

Rose slightly bristled, not sure of how she would refer to Jack. Jack was her soulmate, but they were never married. She only took his name to honor him, and she couldn't share that with a stranger.

Rose said, "Oh, I'm not married. I was previously engaged to a bastard of a man, and have no intention of marrying anytime soon."

Robert said, "Sorry Rose, I didn't mean to make assumptions. Usually a pretty girl like you is already married. But it was a pleasure to meet you. I hope to see you again."

Robert gave her a grin, one that was damn close to one of Jack's, and left the diner. Leaving Rose awfully curious about the man that she just met.

Emily, the other waitress working the shift and one of Rose's new friends, quickly walked up to her. Emily grinned and said, "So I see that you met Bobby Calvert?" Rose said, "Yeah, I take it that you know him?"

Emily said, "Bobby happens to be a really good friend of mine. He's a photographer…does some pictures for the local newspaper. But he loves to take photos of the tourists at the docks. He really would like to work in the movie industry one day… some of his pictures have caught the attention of some movie producers. He's a real nice guy…he's a little adventurous, but he's real protective of his friends."

Rose smiled and said, "Sounds awfully like someone I used to know. Bobby helped me deal with a rather rude customer."

Emily said, "I saw that. I had half a mind of slapping that awful man when I saw him pinch you. I'm glad that Bobby said something. Not many men would have interfered."

Rose said teasingly, "You seem to admire him… you sure he's not a potential love interest?" Emily laughed and said, "Bobby's good looking, but he's like a big brother to me. He did seem to take a liking to you, Rose."

Rose let out a small laugh and said, "We barely just met! And now you're trying to fix me up with him. As I said before, I'm not looking to fall in love anytime soon."

Emily said, "Rose, I know that you said that you went through an engagement from hell. But not every man is going to be like that jerk. You deserve to give your heart another try to fall in love."

Rose wished it could be that easy… she hoped that one day she could open up her heart again. Jack sure left his mark on her heart, and it would not be easy for her to fall in love again so soon. She wondered if she could fall in love again after losing her soulmate. She knew that Jack would want her to be happy again, but for now the best thing she could offer another man was her friendship.

The following week, Rose decided to enjoy her day off by the pier. She gathered up her courage and decided to head to the stable. The stable hand was very nice, and quickly showed her how to mount the horse "like a man". They had a laugh when Rose mentioned that she had previously learned how to ride sidesaddle, and the stable hand insisted that she'll be more comfortable and able to handle the horse a lot better than she would riding sidesaddle.

The stable hand had chosen a beautiful dark-brown horse that was great for beginners. Rose was thrilled as she rode the horse down the beach. She had little trouble with the huge animal, and she couldn't stop the huge smile that was forming on her face. She couldn't believe that she was riding a horse the way that her and Jack had talked about doing…the only thing that would have made this moment perfect if Jack had been by her side.

Bobby Calvert was taking pictures on the beach, when he saw the lovely waitress that he had helped at the diner. Bobby couldn't believe that Rose was riding a horse, but he loved how happy and relaxed she looked. She had stopped the horse for a moment to relax, and Bobby saw the perfect opportunity to take a photograph of her in the moment.

After Bobby had taken the photograph, Rose had seen him and gave him a friendly smile and wave. Bobby smiled and waved back…he couldn't wait to develop his pictures and hoped that the picture of Rose was a great one.

After developing the pictures, Bobby was astonished. The picture of Rose was one of his best pictures, and he decided to make a copy of the picture to give to Rose.

A few days later Bobby headed to the diner, and to his luck, Rose was working. He sat down at a table, and quickly put his gift down. He was happy that Rose was the waitress that walked up to him.

Rose saw Bobby come in with what looked like a small package. She was happy to see her new friend though. Rose walked up, with a menu in her hand, and said "Hello Bobby. It's nice to see you again. How may I help you?"

Bobby said, "Well, could I please have a cup of coffee? I'm not planning to stay very long. I got to head to the newspaper in a while."

Rose smiled and said, "Sure, I'll be right back." Rose went to the waitress station, poured the cup of coffee, and returned to hand Bobby his coffee.

Rose replied, "Here's your coffee Bobby. Would you like anything else?" Bobby said, "Oh, this is perfect. Actually I stopped by to give you this." Bobby quickly handed her his gift, and he was amused seeing the surprised expression on Rose's face.

Rose said, "Bobby, what is this?" Bobby said, "It's just a little something that I thought that you would like. Well, go on. Open it."

Rose opened the package and was surprised seeing the picture. The picture showed a young woman riding a horse…to her amazement it was her! Rose was amazed seeing herself in the picture; she looked beautiful, happy, and relaxed. The picture was so much better than the past portraits of her looking like a porcelain doll. Tears threatened to well up in her eyes… it brought back memories of the drawing that Jack did of her. She was touched by the thoughtful gift, and knew that she had to thank Bobby.

Rose said, "Bobby, thank you. I didn't even notice that you had taken my picture." Bobby said, "I saw how happy you looked riding that horse, that I figured it would make a lovely photograph. I'm glad you like it."

Rose smiled, "I more than like it…I love it. You are really talented. Thank you for such a lovely gift…this is one I'll treasure."

Bobby gave a wide grin and said, "Well, Rose, thank you for the compliment. I better go." Bobby quickly paid for his coffee, and headed for the door.

Rose couldn't stop smiling for the rest of the day. But now her thoughts were confused….what was she going to do about Bobby? She really liked the young man, and he had a personality that was awfully similar to Jack. Bobby had obviously taken an interest in her, but she decided to just start out being friends with him. She decided that would be the best course of action; maybe one day she could fall in love with Bobby or someone like him, but for now a friendship would work.


	10. Chapter 10

Ch. 10: An Engagement (Cal's POV)

1914

To Cal's amazement 1913 passed by quickly. Hockley Steel was prospering wonderfully with the partnership with the Dawson Family. And his relationship with Abby was coming along… he wasn't in love yet, but he felt that was changing. He was beginning to care deeply for Abby; their friendship was stronger than ever. He loved how he could talk to Abby about everything, and she would just listen with a non-judgmental ear.

Abby, on the other hand, had now fallen in love with Cal. She was glad that she and Cal agreed to take things slow...now she was sure that if Cal ended up proposing she could say yes with no doubts in her heart. But Abby still felt that she was still competing with Rose's ghost for Cal's heart. It had now been over a year since the Titanic sinking, and Cal still hadn't completely gotten over losing Rose. Abby couldn't hate Cal for it though; she understood that Cal truly had loved his former fiancé, and that her sudden death affected him deeply. She didn't dare ask Cal for details of what happened during the sinking; somehow she knew that it would affect Cal in a negative way.

Abby had slowly heard the rumors of what Cal used to be like before Titanic…. Cal had been known as a pompous bastard, but he had never acted that way with her. Cal was nothing but a gentleman with her, and she appreciated that. Whatever happened on Titanic truly made Cal a different man; he didn't try to control Abby like he tried to do with Rose. He was respectful, and now made a better effort to get to know his future fiancé.

Abby confided in Cal that she dreamed of being a fashion designer, and to her amazement Cal didn't dismiss her dream. Cal honestly thought that Abby was talented and could be wildly successful as a designer. Abby was thrilled that she found someone that wasn't opposed to her dreams, and found herself falling more in love with Cal.

Cal felt that he now had a wonderful relationship with someone that truly loved him. The only thing wrong was that he wasn't completely in love. Cal knew it was crazy… Abby was a better match and she adored him; she was so different than Rose. Cal was slowly opening his heart to Abby, but there was still a piece that was still in love with Rose. He still had his dark days, especially when the 2nd anniversary of Titanic's sinking came around, that threatened to overwhelm him. Abby was now the only person, besides his mother, who could get him to come out of his dark moods. Cal terribly missed Abby whenever she had to return to Boston; she truly became someone special to him and he sincerely liked having her in his life. After a year-long courtship, Cal knew what the next step should be in their relationship.

Nathan was overjoyed that his son was now planning on proposing to Abigail. William Dawson quickly gave Cal his blessing. Both fathers were thrilled that their children would soon be engaged and the alliance between the two families secured.

Cal was nervous and wondering how he was going to propose to Abby. His proposal to Rose was a very public one, and he wanted his proposal to Abby to be different. He already bought Abby's engagement ring, and sincerely hoped that she would accept. Abby was due for a visit within the next few weeks, so Cal began to plan his proposal.

Abby had no idea that Cal was now planning to propose to her; she was just excited to see Cal again after having to stay in Boston for a while. Thanks to Cal's connections, Abby had been talking to several interested designers that wanted to buy some of her designs. She was so happy about the interest, but she did miss Cal. Cal was awfully disappointed when she had to delay her last visit; and frankly she was too. She still couldn't believe that she had now been in a year-long courtship with Cal, and was wondering what the future would hold for them.

Abby arrived to a rather warm reception upon her return to Pittsburgh; she was more than surprised that it was Cal waiting for her at the station, instead of Nathan. She happily hugged Cal and they shared a quick kiss on the platform, not caring if they were caught by photographers.

Cal and Abby made their way to the Hockley mansion, although Cal had to return to work to attend to some business matters. Abby didn't mind and used the time to rest and visit with Elizabeth Hockley. Abby sincerely liked Cal's mother, and had developed a close relationship with the woman. Abby found Elizabeth to be such a warm and loving person, but also wondered how such a nice lady could be married to a cold man as Nathan Hockley. Abby figured that Cal's parents were another arranged marriage, such as her parents were. The only difference was that her father appeared to love her mother, while she heard the rumors of Nathan Hockley's affairs over the years.

Over tea, Abby decided to delicately broach the subject with Elizabeth. Abby needed some reassurances since she had heard of Cal's past romances before his failed engagement. Elizabeth picked up on Abby's mood and asked, "Abigail, child, you seem like you have a lot on your mind."

Abby replied, "I guess I do, Mrs. Hockley. I just don't know where to start." Elizabeth smiled and said, "Now, Abigail, enough of calling me Mrs. Hockley. You and Cal have been courting long enough, that I insist you call me Elizabeth."

Abby returned the smile and said, "Okay Elizabeth; I'm just a little nervous about my relationship with Cal. I've heard stories that Cal was quite the ladies' man when he was younger, and I've heard the rumors that Nathan has had numerous affairs. "

Elizabeth sighed and said, "Yes, it's true… Cal was rather wild when he was at Harvard. His father was furious about his playboy actions, and was ready to disinherit him. Nathan was the one that helped arrange the engagement between Cal and poor Rose."

Abby said, "I figured that it was an arranged engagement when Cal had told me that he loved Rose, but she didn't love him."

Elizabeth nodded and said, "My heart went out to the poor girl; I could tell that Rose wasn't in love with my son. I did my best to advise her; especially when I noticed that Cal had fallen in love. But Cal didn't treat Rose with the respect needed to earn her love…he treated her like she was property. I love my son, but I'm afraid my husband changed him from the young man I raised to be respectful to women to a pompous bastard. Losing Rose shook my son to his core; that's why I'm so happy that he found you. He's changed since Titanic and I'm so happy that he treats you with respect."

Abby smiled and said, "He does; in fact I think he's rather fond of me. I just wish he could love me as much as he loved Rose. I really do love him, but sometimes I feel like I'm competing with a ghost for his love."

Elizabeth said, "My dear, I do believe my son does love you, but he never got closure losing Rose the way that he did. Give him time."

Abby said, "You know that Cal and I might become engaged one day…. How do you manage to make your marriage work; especially being married to a man like Nathan?"

Elizabeth said, "My marriage to Nathan was an arranged one. My father was determined to marry me off to a successful and wealthy tycoon, and jumped at the chance when he heard that Nathan was looking for a bride. Nathan is not a bad man, but he's not exactly warm. I do love him, and then we have Cal. Those are the only reasons how I manage to tolerate my marriage. Nathan has had affairs, and I've threatened him with divorce in the past, but somehow I can't do it. We have an arrangement for when he has affairs; he has to be discreet around me and Cal. His mistresses are not allowed to attend any of the social functions that we host, and they are forbidden from the mansion. You must think that I'm weak, but I'm not going to let his affairs ruin my family. Cal admires his father, but as far I know Cal has been faithful to the women he has courted."

Abby gently touched the woman's hand and said, "I don't think that you are weak. I think you are a strong woman to deal with that. It takes a strong woman to walk away, but it is admirable when that strong woman wants to make her marriage work. I don't know if I could do that."

Elizabeth smiled, and was grateful that Abigail did not judge her. Abby's admiration for the older woman only increased, and she was relieved when she heard that Cal wasn't like his father. Abby could tolerate a lot of things in a relationship, but infidelity was not one of them.

Dinner was pleasant, and the whole group spent time catching up. Cal and his parents were thrilled that Abby's designs were getting interest, and that she appeared to be so happy. Nathan smirked; he would not only have a future daughter-in-law that came from a prestigious family, but she was going to successful on her own merits. This young woman was going to be the perfect addition to the family; he just hoped that Cal wouldn't screw things up like he did with Rose.

After dinner, Cal led Abby outside to the gardens. The gardens became their favorite place on the grounds; it was peaceful and they could talk without being interrupted.

Cal said, "I'm so glad dinner is over. Finally I get a chance to be alone with you." Abby laughed as Cal grabbed her and gave her a gentle kiss.

Abby smiled as she teased, "What's gotten into you Cal? You missed me that much?" Cal was surprised at Abby's tone, but he liked it. He never had this special and friendly relationship with Rose; in fact the way he was acting with Abby secretly reminded him of Rose and Jack's relationship during the dinner.

Cal grinned and said, "Yes, you silly girl. I did miss you. I wish you didn't live so far away… I was hoping to see you when you had to delay your last visit."

Abby replied, "I can't help that I live in Boston… and I am sorry that I had to delay my last visit. I missed you too."

Cal said, "Glad to hear that. I'm so glad that you are starting to get some success with your designs. You just might become world-famous one day."

Abby said, "I would like that. I may not be running my own design studio, but at least I'm starting to get some recognition. Some of my designs are being considered for the next collection, and if they are successful there's a possibility that I'll get asked for more designs. How's work going for you?"

Cal smiled and said, "Well, it is going very well. Steel production is at an all-time high." Abby knew the reason and said, "Because of the wars in Europe…. I just hope our country doesn't get involved just yet."

Cal said, "I never knew you to be so knowledgeable about current events." Abby smiled and said, "I'm more than just a pretty face. I do listen when my father talks about politics and current events at the table. No one ever asks for my opinion though."

They sat down a bench, where Cal had a bouquet of flowers waiting for Abby. Abby saw the bouquet and said, "Cal, these are lovely! Thank you… you really know how to make a girl feel special."

To her greatest surprise, Cal went down on one knee and pulled out a beautiful engagement ring. Cal said, "I was waiting for the right time, but I figured this would be the perfect moment. Abigail Dawson, I really do care about you. You've become my best friend, and I can't imagine not having you in my life. Will you do me the honor of marrying me?"

Abby had a serene look and said, "I always said that I would never marry unless I was in love. I know you loved Rose… could you ever love me that much?"

Cal said, "I think that I'm already falling in love with you. What I have with you is better. I have a chance at a loving marriage with you."

A huge smile formed on Abby's face. She leaned forward to kiss Cal and said, "Then yes, Cal. Yes! I'll marry you." Cal quickly put the engagement ring on her finger, and pulled his fiancé into another kiss.

Cal was overjoyed and so was Abby. They quickly made their way to the house to share their good news. This was a night that Cal wouldn't forget…. unlike with Rose, he saw that look of love and happiness in Abby's eyes. He finally had a fiancé that truly loved him, and he couldn't wait to start his new life with her.


	11. Chapter 11

Ch. 11: A Curious Dream (Rose's POV)

1914

1913 also passed by quickly for Rose. In addition to working at the diner, she had started acting at the local theater at night. She first started out with small supporting roles, most of the time as the best friend/confidant to the lead female character. But the director had noticed over time Rose had potential to become the lead.

Rose's acting career was barely starting, but she was quickly becoming a rising star. She loved the thrill of the theater, and was hoping to eventually make a go at auditioning for movie roles. The small roles didn't pay much, but Rose used the additional money she made acting to start her small series of adventures. She was now enjoying her life in California… she had true friends, and most of all her freedom.

Rose had recently read in the society pages of Cal's new engagement to Abigail Dawson. Rose was surprised hearing the news, but now she was happy for him. Rose didn't know Abigail, but from what she saw in the photographs Abigail appeared to be a kind woman. Rose secretly wondered what Abigail saw in Cal, since she could tell in the photos that the young woman was obviously in love with him. Rose had to admit Cal could be charming when he wanted to be, but there was something about him that didn't click well with her. Even at the beginning of their engagement, Rose sensed that they were not a good fit for each other. Rose wondered if it had to do with their age difference or the fact that her mother was forcing her to marry to keep their wealth. Cal may have fallen in love with her, but he was only in love with the society girl version of her. He didn't care enough to truly get to know her, and when her true personality showed he tried to control it. He wanted the submissive little wife, and that was not her. She sincerely hoped that Cal and Abigail's marriage would be a happy one, since she saw Cal looked somewhat happier in the new photos with his new fiancé.

But Rose was not only having some success in her acting career; she was now having progress in her personal life. Rose was now dating Bobby Calvert. Rose had resisted Bobby's advances for several months, but he patiently built a friendship with her. Bobby was fascinated with the mysterious and maddening redhead, and he could see himself having a future with her. After some convincing, Bobby had managed to talk Rose to going out on a date with him.

Bobby was good for Rose. He let Rose be herself and didn't pressure her for more in their relationship when she wasn't ready. He was also fiercely protective of her. Bobby acted like Jack in some ways, and it scared Rose sometimes. Bobby and Jack were two different men, but she couldn't help but compare Bobby to Jack. Rose still deeply loved Jack, but her broken heart was slowly healing. She was grateful that she found someone that didn't pressure her for more.

One night Rose had a very strange dream… she dreamed of Jack, but this time he spoke to her.

 _Rose found herself on a ship; as she walked around she realized that the ship was very familiar. She realized that she was back onboard Titanic! She couldn't believe it, and she came upon the familiar entrance of the Grand Staircase. To her surprise, there was a familiar figure waiting at the top of the staircase. It was her Jack…looking the same as the last time she had seen him and smiling at her._

 _Rose made her way to Jack; she wanted to hug him so bad! Jack said, "It's great to see you Rose. But I'm afraid we won't be reunited for a long time. Remember what I told you?"_

 _Rose gave a sad smile and said, "That I would die an old woman; warm in my bed. Do you really think that will happen?"_

 _Jack said, "I know so. Who do you think has been watching over you all this time? Rose, I loved you with all my heart. I wanted to marry you; I wanted to have a life with you. But it was my time; I guess I was only meant to show you what love really is."_

 _Rose said, "I still can't believe how quickly we fell in love. I meant what I said; I had fallen so in love that I was ready to throw away my old life to be with you. Why did you sacrifice your life for me?! We both could have survived."_

 _Jack said, "The moment we tried to get on that door, I realized that only one of us was going to be able to fit on it. I didn't want you to die that night…you deserved a fighting chance, so I made the hard choice. I don't regret it; you are free from that oppressive life that you were living."_

 _Rose said, "Yes, I may be free, but my life would be much happier with you in it. The pain of losing you was almost overwhelming at times. I couldn't stay angry at you; I know you did what you did out of love."_

 _Jack smiled and said, "Yes, I did. That's why I'm in heaven… because I gave my life to protect the woman I loved. I did get in trouble for breaking an engagement though."_

 _Rose had to laugh and said, "I can imagine…even though I didn't love Cal. I hope they realized that."_

 _Jack laughed and said, "They did… they just told me that my good deeds outweighed the bad ones that I did during my life. I'm sort of considered one of your guardian angels… I'll always be around to protect you. You can't see me, but I'll always be there for you. Now what is going on with you and that Bobby Calvert?"_

 _Rose smiled and said, "You know about Bobby?" Jack gave her a look and said, "Yes, and I know for a fact that he's falling in love with you. He's a good man; I'm glad that he respects you."_

 _Rose said, "He does. In fact, he reminds me a little of you." Jack grinned and said, "Oh, really? In what ways?"_

 _Rose said, "Well, he's kind. He's adventurous, and he's a talented photographer. He's got blue eyes…like yours. Not the same shade, but they carry the same kindness and warmth. He started growing his hair out... it's starting to fall into his face, like yours did."_

 _Jack couldn't help it and teased, "So you are falling in love with my doppelganger!" Rose couldn't help but laugh and said, "Shut up…he's not a perfect copy of you. He's not blonde…in fact he has darker hair than you! And you're taller than him."_

 _Jack asked, "How do you feel about him? Do you love him?" Rose chuckled and said, "This seems familiar. I care about him…and maybe I am falling for him. But you will always carry a special place in my heart."_

 _Jack gently said, "I don't doubt that. We had something special, but I don't want you to spend the rest of your life mourning me. I want you to live and have a family one day. You deserve to be happy. Hell, even Cal is moving on with his life."_

 _Rose is surprised that Jack knows about Cal's new engagement. She says, "Someone's been nosy. I'm surprised that you know about that."_

 _Jack said, "I was curious…Cal mourned you for six months. I got to see a different side of him…. he regrets everything that he did that night. He blames himself for your "death". He did love you Rose…. he loved you just as much as I did. He just never learned to express his feelings properly. I feel bad for him, but I guess we both taught him that love can't be bought. He's learned his lesson, and he's turning into somewhat a better person. I just hope he treats that girl right once he marries her."_

 _Rose said, "Well, he does seem happier…and I can tell that poor girl is in love with him. I find it hilarious that she is a Dawson. Did you have something to do with that?"_

 _Jack said, "No, it's just the universe's sense of humor. Believe me, I was laughing too when I saw that Cal was destined to marry a woman that carried my family name. Cal didn't like that at all, but Abigail is softening him. I think he's finally falling in love with her… which is good. It means he's no longer focusing on you. I don't want him to figure out one day that you are still alive."_

 _Rose said, "If he hadn't made the connection on the Carpathia, I doubt he would now. I'm now known as Rose Dawson… Rose Dewitt-Bukator is dead and buried."_

 _Jack couldn't help the large grin forming on his face and said, "You took my name?" Rose nodded and said, "I did it to honor you and the life we would have made together."_

 _Jack said, "You are already honoring me by keeping your promise. Rose, I am proud of you. Just be happy and live your life. Don't push Bobby away because you're afraid to fall in love again. Remember that I love you and only want your happiness. Never let go of your promise."_

 _Rose nodded and said, "I'll never let go… will this be the last time I see you?" Jack said, "For now… but remember I'll always be with you."_

After those words, Rose woke up from the dream. Surprisingly she wasn't startled; she woke up with a profound sense of peace. The dream was wonderful, but it really made her think.

Rose felt that the dream was no ordinary dream…. she truly felt that the dream was a message from Jack telling her that it was okay to move on with her life. Rose still felt like she was betraying Jack, but it was time. She mourned him for two long years, but now she could live with the pain.

Rose started thinking about her relationship with Bobby… they had become friends from the moment that they met. She could talk to talk to him about anything, and she felt happier around him. He chased away the darkness of her grief, and most of all she felt safe with him. She slowly came to the realization that she was indeed falling in love with Bobby Calvert. She had to laugh… her relationship with Jack had happened so fast and so intensely, but their love would forever remain with her. The love she had for Bobby had grown softly and slowly; nurtured by his patience and friendship. She could now see them having a wonderful future together…she just needed to stop being so afraid.

 ** _Sorry about the lack of updates; writer's block and a busy work schedule has not been helping me with my writing. Usually the ideas flow easily when I'm writing, but sometimes it takes a while to get a chapter to my liking. I hope you enjoy, and I already started on the next chapter. Hopefully it won't take me so long for the next update._**


	12. Chapter 12

Ch. 12: A Wedding (Cal's POV)

As soon as Cal and Abby announced their engagement their two families were overjoyed hearing the news! Cal and Abigail quickly began their wedding plans, but had to deal with a lot of drama between the two families.

William Dawson and Nathan Hockley were thrilled at the engagement of their children. But it led to some drama of what would happen after the marriage took place. Once Cal was married, Nathan would be stepping down at Hockley Steel and Cal would be taking over the company. Cal would be required to stay in Pittsburg to monitor the day-to-day operations, and continue to conduct business with the shareholders in Philadelphia.

Cal and Abigail decided that they would live in Pittsburg, but they would not live in the Hockley Mansion. They would use the Philadelphia mansion as a secondary residence whenever Cal needed to conduct business there. Cal felt this was the best course of action, since he wanted to be free from his father's influence and Abby was not entirely comfortable with the thought of living under the same roof as her in-laws.

Of course, Nathan was outraged when he heard that Cal and his new fiancé planned on buying their own home. He wanted Cal to continue to live in the family mansion, so he could still have a say in the company. It led to a huge argument between the father and son, but Cal managed to convince his father in the end. His mother and Abby were proud that Cal won the argument… Elizabeth couldn't have been prouder of her son for standing up to his controlling father, while Abby was happy that her and her fiancé would be able to live their lives free from her domineering father-in-law.

Since Cal and Abby got engaged in the fall of 1914, they worked on setting a wedding date in either the spring or summer of 1915. Cal did not want to get married in May, since that was when he was supposed to marry Rose. Abby seriously thought about setting the wedding in April, but she remembered that Titanic's anniversary was in that month. April and May were not ideal since it would remind Cal about Rose, so the couple decided to marry in June. They set the date for June 30, 1915.

While Abby worked on wedding plans, Cal concentrated on finding a home for Abby and him. After searching for several months, he managed to find a lovely home that was not too far from his business and had some distance from his father. It was a smaller mansion than his family home, but it was large enough for social obligations and for their future family. It had a lovely garden, which he knew Abby would love.

When Cal showed Abby the home, he wasn't sure if she would like it. Abby fell in love with the home at once; especially with the garden. The garden reminded them of the one at his parents' home, and they couldn't wait to turn the house into their home.

After the engagement was announced, Abby moved into the Hockley Mansion. She moved into the guest room that she normally stayed in during her visits, and tried to make it her own. She was grateful for Elizabeth's kindness, and the Hockley matriarch was a huge help with the wedding plans. Elizabeth also prepared Abby for her future role as a Hockley wife.

Even though Abby was now living in Pittsburg with Cal's family, she made the effort to keep her family in the loop with the wedding plans. Her mother, Francine Dawson, ended up making monthly visits to Pittsburg to help with the wedding. During those visits Francine quickly became friends with Elizabeth, which made Abby very happy.

Cal was excited, but very nervous about his upcoming wedding. Every step of the wedding plans reminded him of his engagement to Rose, and he had to keep reminding himself that this time things were different. This time he had a fiancé that loved him; a fiancé that would not rebel against him.

Even though Rose had been gone for two years, it was still painful for Cal every time he thought about her. A piece of Cal was still desperately in love with Rose, and it still hurt that Rose never loved him. It was still a huge bruise to his ego that Rose had fallen for a poor artist. His regrets over what happened on Titanic still haunted him every day. He was grateful that Abby loved him, and he was falling in love with her. It was a different kind of love… different from the love he had for Rose. Abby made him a better man; she softened his rough edges and she had turned into his best friend.

Cal sincerely hoped he could be a good husband to Abby, and eventually a good father to their future children. Abby deserved nothing but the best, and he was determined to make their marriage work. He failed Rose, and he was determined not to fail Abby.

The upcoming wedding was turning into one of the biggest events of the year. All of Pittsburg and Philadelphia society was talking about it… it overwhelmed Abby sometimes. It made her realize that she was indeed marrying into a powerful family that was only going to get stronger due to her family's influence.

Abby also had her own insecurities as a woman; part of her still wondered if Cal loved her. Cal had done his best to reassure her, but it didn't help that she knew that a piece of Cal was probably always going to love Rose. She had found pictures of Rose, and indeed Rose was as beautiful as Cal described. But she saw the unhappiness in Rose's eyes in the photos… Abby wondered how a girl who appeared to have everything was so unhappy. She wished she had known Rose; maybe she could understand why the poor girl agreed to a loveless engagement. But Abby wasn't going to let her own insecurities get her down; she was marrying the man she loved, and was determined to make her marriage work.

After all the planning and drama, the wedding day quickly arrived. In the church, Cal nervously awaited his bride. He quietly looked up at the ceiling, thinking of Rose and what might have been. He hoped that Rose's soul was at peace, and that she had forgiven him. He silently started to think that maybe Rose sent him Abby to heal his broken heart, and to make him a better man. He smiled and sincerely liked that thought… he hoped that if he made it to heaven he would thank Rose for teaching him how important love was.

Abby was a lovely vision in her wedding dress; it took Cal's breath away to see how beautiful she looked. Cal saw all the love and hope in Abby's eyes; it made him happy and reassured him that this marriage was going to work.

Abby smiled as she saw a look of happiness and softness in Cal's eyes when he saw her walk down the aisle. It made her feel happy, and for the first time Abby felt that Cal did truly love her.

Cal couldn't keep his eyes off Abby throughout the ceremony. The priest said a lovely homily about love that really made Cal think. After all his mistakes with Rose, Cal found a true love with Abby. On the day of his wedding, Cal realized that he truly was in love with the woman he was marrying.

The happy couple held hands as they faced each other to say their vows. Cal smiled as he repeated after the priest, "I, Caledon, take you, Abigail, to be my lawfully wedded wife. To have and to hold, from this day forward. For better, for worse, for richer, for poorer. In sickness and in health. To love and to cherish all the days of my life, until death do us part. "

Abby repeated her own vow after the priest, "I, Abigail, take you, Caledon, to be my lawfully wedded husband. To have and to hold, from this day forward. For better, for worse, for richer, for poorer. In sickness and in health. To love and to cherish all the days of my life, until death do us part."

The priest smiled at the couple, and said, "By the power invested in me, I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride." Cal happily kissed his bride, and the newlyweds made their way down the aisle to exit the church.

The wedding reception was held in one of the finest banquet halls in the city. It was so extravagant; fit in honor of the union of two of the wealthiest families on the Eastern Seaboard. It was fit for royalty… Cal shuddered at the thought as he remembered referring to Rose and himself as royalty that night on Titanic. He quickly pushed those thoughts out of his head… he didn't need those thoughts darkening the happiest day of his life. He decided to concentrate on the happiness of the day and on his beautiful wife.

Abby was happy... she did feel that the wedding reception was a little too extravagant, but most high society weddings were. Abby was just grateful that it wasn't as over the top as other weddings she had attended. What mattered to her is that she was finally married to the man she loved.

The guests complimented the whole wedding, but most of the guests were touched seeing that the newlywed couple looked to be so very much in love. It was a rarity to see such love in a high society couple, that it impressed the guests to see that. Nathan was thrilled that his son was finally married, and Elizabeth was so happy that her son looked to be so in love with his new wife. Elizabeth hadn't seen that look in Cal's eyes since Rose, and it made her feel easy that her son would have a loving and happy marriage. William and Francine Dawson were so grateful seeing their daughter so happy; they feared that this day would never come for their unique and beautiful daughter.

Cal and Abby danced their first dance as husband and wife. As the music played, Cal was lost in thought as he held his wife. Abby looked up and teasingly asked, "What's on your mind, my darling husband?" Cal gave a sly smile hearing that and said, "Well, my darling wife, I was just thinking how wonderful this day has been. I can't believe we're married now." Abby smiled and said, "I know… it feels like such a beautiful dream. I'm just so happy…the happiest I've been in my life." Cal said, "Me too… Abby, I love you. I really do; I want our marriage to be a long and happy one." Abby said, "Cal, I love you too. I can't wait to see what life has in store for us next."

Cal agreed with his new wife's sentiment… he wanted a lifetime of happiness with this wonderful woman, even though sometimes he felt that he didn't deserve it after he had been such a bastard before he met Abby. Cal smiled at how far he had come since Titanic; he was no longer the selfish and arrogant man he once was. Love had truly changed him; it had to take the loss of Rose to change him, but he was more than grateful to her. Thinking of Rose, Cal knew a part of him would always love her, but now he could finally move on with his life. He finally let go of his grief and anger; he realized that there were cracks in his relationship with Rose before Titanic, and could now take some responsibility for it without entirely blaming Jack for everything. He felt a huge burden had been lifted, and that the happy future he wanted was truly possible.

 ** _I finally got this chapter finished! It took me a while, due to a busy work schedule. Writer's block has also been a pain, but I am slowly breaking through it and trying to add more to the story. I wanted this to be a hopeful and happy chapter for Cal, since he's about to head into difficult times (I'm keeping true to canon that Cal loses his fortune in 1929). I plan for Cal to be happy for a while, but things will get difficult when he loses his fortune. I'm taking this story chapter by chapter, so please be patient with me. I hope that everyone enjoys this chapter... next one will be a Rose chapter!_**


	13. Chapter 13

Ch. 13: Revelation (Rose's POV)

After the dream, Rose and Bobby became closer as a couple. Even though they were getting closer, Rose was still somewhat hesitant. She knew she was being stubborn, but she was slowly dropping her defenses around Bobby.

Rose remembered that Cal had asked her to open her heart to him, but she couldn't. When Rose had first gotten engaged to Cal, she really did try to fall in love with him. But she felt nothing for him; there was no spark for her. Cal made no effort to improve the relationship either; he ignored her since he was so confident that he could buy her love. Jack broke down through all her defenses and had fallen in love with the woman she truly was. Jack had accepted all her flaws, while Cal tried to control her. Rose knew it was crazy how quickly she had fallen in love with Jack, but she had no regrets. Jack made her a stronger person; he gave her the confidence she needed to leave her oppressive life.

Every day Rose wondered how different her life would be if Jack had survived… they probably would have gotten married, traveled the world together, and eventually settled down to start a family. The thing that surprised her that everything she wanted to do with Jack, she now wanted that possibility with Bobby.

Just like Jack had predicted in the dream, Bobby indeed had fallen in love with Rose. Bobby wanted to marry Rose one day, but he knew that she wasn't ready for that yet. Bobby quickly realized early on that Rose was the type of woman that didn't reveal her feelings until she was ready. Bobby also realized that Rose never revealed too much about herself, unless it was absolutely required. He figured something major must have happened to her; something that she was not ready to reveal to anyone.

It was a quiet day when Rose finally told Bobby more about her past. They were walking along the beach, when Bobby decided to broach the subject about their future. Bobby asked, "Rose, where do you think our relationship is going?" Rose was surprised and said, "What do you mean by that? I thought that our relationship was going quite well." Bobby let out a soft chuckle and said, "Oh, Rose… it is. I really care about you. I mean, do you see a future for us?" Rose said, "Bobby… actually I do. I can see us living a happy life together, but it scares me sometimes."

Bobby looked Rose straight in the eye and said, "Rose, I love you. I hope that you feel the same about me; I just wish I understood why you are so scared to love. You are so mysterious sometimes… you don't reveal anything until you are ready."

Rose said, "I'm afraid that if I told you more about my past, your opinion of me would drastically change." Bobby said, "Rose, everyone has a past. No one is perfect… not even me. I don't care what you did in the past; I love the person you are now. That won't change no matter what you tell me."

Rose said, "Well, I told you that I was born in Philadelphia to old money. I wasn't always Rose Dawson… my birth name is Rose Dewitt-Bukator."

Surprise hit Bobby's eyes… Bobby recognized that last name from the society pages. He tried to remember where and how recently he had read it, when Rose decided to continue. Rose saw the hint of recognition in Bobby's eyes and said, "I figured that name would be familiar to you due to the society pages. Yes, I am a former high society heiress, but I want you to know that life never made me happy."

Bobby said, "So how did you end up as Rose Dawson?" Rose chuckled and said, "It's a long story Bobby; and not a happy one." Bobby said, "Rose, we've got nothing but time. And I promise I won't judge you."

Rose said, "I was born in 1894 to Frederick and Ruth Dewitt-Bukator, and lived somewhat of a sheltered life in Philadelphia. My father was a businessman, while my mother ran our home. I loved my parents, but I was closer to my father. My father died when I was 15, and his death devastated me and my mother. We discovered after my father's death that we were heavily in debt; my mother called it a legacy of bad debts, hidden by a good name."

Bobby said, "Your mother sounds like a piece of work." Rose smiled and said, "Yes, she was. After our debts were discovered, Mother became obsessed with finding a way to solve our financial ruin. Since I was 15, Mother decided that it would be up to me to save us. She shipped me off to finishing school, to return home at 17… ready to marry a wealthy man."

Bobby gave Rose a sad look and said, "That's terrible… how could a mother do that a daughter? Is it like that for all high society women?" Rose said, "Sadly, yes. Women in high society have no say in their lives… everything is decided for them by their parents. Marriages aren't based on love… they are used to form alliances or to save fortunes. After I returned home from school, my mother started to show me off to her high society friends in her hopes to find me a husband… we attended many social events when I finally met a suitor that caught my mother's eye."

Bobby suddenly realized that Rose was finally going into more detail about the bastard ex-fiancé that she had been engaged to… he decided to remain quiet so Rose would continue. Rose said, "I met Caledon Hockley, the most eligible bachelor in Pittsburg and Philadelphia. The heir to a powerful steel company." Bobby's eyes widened in shock as he remembered reading about the Pittsburg steel tycoon… the Pittsburg heir had just gotten married, but had lost a fiancé in 1912! A fiancé that was believed to be long dead… he never expected that his Rose was the former fiancé of one of the most successful and powerful businessmen in the country.

Rose continued, "Cal and I met at a charity ball; afterwards my mother revealed that my father had been a former business partner of Cal's father. My mother was thrilled that Cal took a liking to me right away, and we started to attend more social events that the Hockley family attended. Not long after, Cal began to court me; I suspect my mother made a deal with Cal's father… I would be the perfect little wife for Cal in exchange for help in clearing our debts."

Bobby said, "I still can't believe that you were engaged to that man… I just saw his wedding announcement the other day… he married a Boston Dawson. I read what a playboy Caledon Hockley was before he got engaged in 1912."

Rose laughed, "Oh, he was. He still had a bit of a wandering eye while we were engaged. He always thought so highly of himself; always so sure that he could use his vast fortune to buy whatever he wanted… including my love and affection."

Bobby said, "Let me guess… you thought that you could love him, but once he started to reveal more about himself things changed."

Rose said, "Yes, I honestly tried, but there was something that just didn't click between us. We weren't right for each other… there was a huge age difference between us. I was seventeen; he was thirty. He was handsome, but I wanted something more than that."

Bobby said, "Did he even love you, or did he just see you as a trophy to show off?" Rose said, "I honestly don't know. I think a part of him did love me, but he made no effort to show it. Like I said, I think he honestly thought he could just buy his way into my heart. He did have his moments; but those were few and far between. He just wasn't the type of man that I always dreamed of marrying."

Bobby took this as a hint that Rose was falling in love with him, but she was still struggling with her feelings. Rose said, "Even though it appeared that I had everything, I was never quite happy. I was engaged to a man most women could only dream of marrying, but I didn't love him. Cal and I became engaged the fall of 1911, and began planning for a wedding in the spring of 1912. My mother took over most of the planning; she wanted the wedding to be one of the grandest and most expensive weddings in our society. It was nothing of what I wanted… I dreaded what was supposed to be the happiest day of my life."

Bobby asked, "So how did you manage to escape your old life?" Rose said, "Do you remember reading about the Titanic disaster?" Bobby said, "Yes, it was all over the papers for the longest time." Rose said, "Cal, my mother, and I were first class passengers on that ship."

Bobby said, "Oh my god, Rose! I can only imagine what you went through." Rose slightly chuckled… if only he knew. She went into the details that Cal had whisked her away on a fancy European vacation to celebrate their engagement, when Cal had booked the tickets on Titanic for their return trip home. That once they returned home, there was to be a huge engagement gala and then their wedding the following month. Rose didn't tell Bobby about Jack… she didn't want to hurt him with the tale of her lost love.

As Rose told her tale, Bobby couldn't believe that Rose went through that horrible disaster. Rose revealed that it was a miracle that she survived; that she hid among the third-class passengers and changed her name so that her mother and Cal would never find her. After she was done, Rose felt relieved that she talked somewhat about her experiences on Titanic. She still couldn't talk about Jack; especially with the man that she was beginning to fall in love with. In that moment, Rose vowed that Jack would remain her guarded secret. Jack would live on as a beautiful memory locked away in her heart. It wouldn't be fair to Bobby if she told him about Jack; she feared that Bobby wouldn't understand and she didn't want him to feel that he was competing with a ghost for her love.

To Rose's surprise, Bobby was quite understanding after hearing her story. Bobby now understood somewhat of why Rose was so scared to love. Bobby also sensed that Rose had only told him the bare bones of her story… he sensed there was more to the story, but he didn't want to push her. He felt that it took a lot out of Rose to tell him about what she went through in her past, but at least she was beginning to share more about herself with him.

Rose felt happier after talking to Bobby; even though she didn't share her whole story, she felt that she did let go of her grief. Bobby was so kind and understanding… it made her feel glad that she could share things with him. She was happy that he had accepted her past. Now she could move forward in her relationship with Bobby… maybe they could have a loving and happy marriage someday. Rose still wasn't ready for marriage, but she was now was open to the possibility.

 _ **Well, I got Rose to open up some to Bobby! I am still in 1915, so I plan for Rose and Bobby to eventually marry by 1920; Rose will also start working more as an actress by then since Bodine revealed she was working as an actress in the 1920s in the movie. I also believe by 1920, Rose will be more mature and ready to settle down. I've got some ideas floating around in my head, so I'm trying to get them written. I already started on the next chapter, and if everything goes well I will update soon! I hope everyone is enjoying the story so far... thanks again for being so patient with me.**_


	14. Chapter 14

Ch. 14: First Months of Marriage (Cal's POV)

July- Mid October 1915

After the wedding, Cal and Abby headed off on their honeymoon. They decided to head to California; Abby had wanted to go to Europe, but now it was impossible with the Great War going on. A month before their wedding, a famous liner called the Lusitania had been sunk by the Germans. It was not safe for Americans to travel overseas, and Abby felt that sooner or later America would be dragged into the war. Maybe it was meant to be… after Titanic, Cal was not keen on setting foot on another ship.

Cal felt bad that he and Abby couldn't take off on an extended honeymoon; Cal could only take off for 2-3 months before he finally had to take over his family business. But to his surprise, Abby was okay with the situation. Abby wanted to continue with her design career, and soon as she returned from the honeymoon she planned to do so.

In the months before the wedding Cal and Abby had approved all the designs for their home, so by the time of their return the house would be ready for them to live in. The couple was excited, and couldn't wait for the next steps in their life.

The honeymoon was a happy time for Cal and Abby. They toured pretty much all of California. They toured California's Wine Country, and even got to spend some time at the California seaside. They stayed in Los Angeles for a few weeks, where they got to do some shopping and attend several plays. They got closer as a couple, which is what they needed before returning to their hectic lives.

Cal and Abby returned home 3 months later… they were so happy and relaxed, but it was time to go back to their daily lives. As soon as they arrived, Abby already had orders for new designs and Cal had to tend to matters at work. Their home was ready upon their return, so they moved in right away.

The newlyweds quickly had to dive back into their responsibilities. Cal began to take over Hockley Steel, so he didn't get to spend much time with his new wife. Cal hated that, but he was glad that Abby was so understanding. Abby missed spending time with Cal, but she did understand that his work demanded a lot out of him. Abby used her time to catch up on her designs, but couldn't help that she still craved her husband's attention. The first few weeks upon their return, Cal would go to work early and wouldn't return home until dinnertime. There were a few nights when Cal wouldn't get home until very late.

On one of those nights, Cal came home so late to find his wife asleep on the couch. He felt like such a heel; he had forgotten to call from the office to say that he would be late, and his heart broke when he saw two untouched dinner plates on the dining room table. His poor wife had waited for him and must have disappointed when he didn't show up in time for dinner.

The maid walked in and said, "Oh, Mr. Hockley, you're finally home. I tried to convince Mrs. Hockley to eat, but she didn't want to eat without you. She wanted to talk to you... so she went ahead to the living room to relax, but fell asleep. I didn't have the heart to wake her."

Cal sighed, "I feel terrible. I got caught up with work. I appreciate the fact that you tried to get Abby to eat." Nadine, the maid, smiled and said, "It's no problem, Mr. Hockley. Mrs. Hockley is such a sweet lady, so I didn't mind at all. Do you want me to wake her?"

Cal said, "No, thank you Nadine. I'll carry her to our bedroom." Nadine said, "Very well, Mr. Hockley. I already left out some nightclothes out for her. If you need anything else, don't be afraid to call on me. I'll be up for another hour or so before retiring."

The little maid curtseyed and left the room. Cal took another look at his lovely wife; she looked so peaceful and he again felt so horrible that he left her waiting. He gently scooped up his wife into his arms, and began to carry her to their bedroom.

Abby stirred in his arms as he made his way up the stairs. Cal smiled as her tired eyes fluttered open and heard her sweet voice say, "Hmm… Cal. Did I fall asleep on the couch?" Cal chuckled and said, "Yes, darling. I didn't have the heart to wake you. I'm so sorry to have kept you waiting."

Abby just tiredly smiled and said, "It's okay, Cal. Why didn't you call? I was hoping to spend some time with you." Cal said, "Darling, I'm so sorry. I got caught up at work… it's no excuse though."

Abby could see the distress on Cal's face and tried to be reassuring as she said, "Cal, I understand that you're a very busy man. I knew what I was getting into when I married you."

Cal sighed and said, "What did I do to deserve you?" Since Abby was still in Cal's arms, she leaned forward and kissed him. Abby could see the surprise on her husband's face and said, "Cal, stop being so hard on yourself. I love you no matter what… for better or worse, right? Now could you please put me down?"

Cal just smiled and tightened his grip on his wife's waist and said, "Oh, no. You just barely woke up. I'm not putting you down until we reach our room." Abby just laughed and said, "Cal, I am wide awake now. I am perfectly able to walk on my own. But I have to admit… this is nice being carried by my husband to our room."

Abby kissed Cal again, making him laugh. Cal couldn't help the grin forming on his face and said, "Well… I should do this more often." Abby teased and said, "Shut up… you are only allowed to do this if I'm asleep on the couch again. Right now, I just want some time with my husband." A rather seductive smile curled on her lips, and she then pulled Cal into a rather passionate kiss as they continued their way to their bedroom.

Hours later, Cal was lying in bed with Abby sleeping peacefully by his side. As he held his sleeping wife, Cal thanked his lucky stars that she had forgiven him. It wasn't easy being a married man now… he had his work responsibilities, but still wanted to be a good husband to Abby. He felt very blessed that Abby was his wife; she took this new change in their lives beautifully. She was everything that he had wanted in a wife and a lover. Little did he know, things were about to change.

The next morning, Abby woke up to an empty bed. She was slightly disappointed… her and Cal had a lovely night, even though she was sad that he had forgotten about dinner. Her face brightened when she found a note next to her on Cal's pillow. It said, _"Darling, sorry I wasn't able to eat breakfast with you this morning. I have a meeting that I couldn't get out of. I'll be home for lunch though, and we'll be able to spend the rest of the day together. Love, Cal."_

Abby then heard a knock on the door, and gasped as she realized that she wasn't quite decent yet. She heard Nadine say, "Mrs. Hockley… it's Nadine. Are you awake madam?" Abby quickly grabbed her robe and responded, "Just a minute." As soon as she had her robe tied, she responded, "Okay, go ahead and come in Nadine."

A small smirk came to Nadine's face as she saw the flustered look on her mistress's face. It was obvious what had happened between the newlyweds to the young maid. Her mistress's nightdress was still on the chair next to the bed, while the dress she had been wearing had been carelessly thrown on the floor. The master's clothes had been put away, and she assumed that he had simply overlooked his wife's dress. Nadine paid it no mind… this wouldn't be the first or the last time she assumed that she would innocently come across her employer's private life.

Nadine was quickly becoming friends with Abby, so she couldn't hide the merriment in her voice as she said to her mistress, "I trust that you and your husband had a good night?" Abby's cheeks went bright red; she couldn't hide the blush on her face as she knew the maid was teasing her. Abby said, "Sorry, Nadine… I'm a little embarrassed." Nadine chuckled and said, "It's okay. You're newlyweds… and in love. I find it rather refreshing working for a couple that is obviously in love with each other." Abby smiled and said, "Thank you… but please don't spread it among the other servants. My husband and I deserve our privacy." Nadine said, "Don't worry, madam. I respect your privacy, Mrs. Hockley."

Abby said, "In private, you may call me Abigail or Abby. I see us becoming great friends." Nadine smiled and said, "Very well… Abigail. I'll finish cleaning the room, while you get freshened up in the bathroom."

Abby finished getting ready for her day, with a little help from Nadine. She headed into her small office that she had set up next to Cal's and looked over some designs that she was working on. Abby was sitting at her desk, trying to eat the small breakfast that Nadine had set up for her. As soon as she raised her coffee cup to her lips, the smell overwhelmed her. It made her nauseous, that she quickly set the cup down. She found it strange… she normally loved coffee, but lately certain foods have been making her feel ill.

Thoughts started swirling in her head, as a sneaking suspicion began to nag at her. Her thoughts were interrupted as Nadine came into the office to tell her that her mother-in-law had stopped by for a visit.

Abby made her way to the living room, to find her sweet mother-in-law waiting. Elizabeth gave a wide smile and pulled Abby into a hug, and said, "Abigail, darling. You look wonderful… how's my son been treating you?"

Abby returned the smile and said, "Oh, Cal's been wonderful. We're still adjusting to being married, but so far everything is well." Elizabeth said, "I'm so glad to hear that. Abigail, you are positively glowing… seems like marriage is agreeing with you."

Abby said, "Thank you Elizabeth. I've never been happier." The two ladies sat down to continue their visit and Elizabeth asked, "So tell me… how was the honeymoon? Was California fabulous?" Abby said, "Oh it was wonderful… I was almost sad to return home. Cal's been awfully busy though now that we're back. But he promised me that he'll be home early today."

Elizabeth said, "Poor Cal… I know he's been so busy with work. He hasn't even had time to come and visit me like he said he would. I keep telling him not to get overwhelmed… it's not healthy. But I'm glad that he's coming home early."

Abby said, "I think he's doing it to make it up to me for missing dinner yesterday. He didn't get home until real late last night." Elizabeth said, "Well, at least he's trying. Even though you two are newlyweds, it's important to keep the marriage a priority. Especially once children start arriving."

Abby said, "Cal felt so guilty… I had fallen asleep on the couch waiting for him. I didn't even hear him walk in, until he carried me to our room." Elizabeth chuckled and said, "That reminds me of when Nathan and I first were married. I would fall asleep waiting, and Nathan would carry me to our room. In fact, I believe one of those nights is when I got pregnant with Cal."

Abby almost choked on her tea, and Elizabeth let out a huge laugh. Elizabeth said, "Sorry if I embarrassed you darling, but it's true. You and Cal remind me so much of my early days of marriage. I pray that your happiness lasts for a long time."

Abby said, "How soon did you become pregnant with Cal?" Elizabeth said, "Actually, I had gotten pregnant a few months into my marriage, but I miscarried. Cal doesn't know… I didn't get pregnant with him until Nathan and I were married almost 2 years. Cal was my blessing… Nathan and I wanted more children, but it wasn't meant to be."

Abby saw the hint of sadness in Elizabeth's face, and couldn't help but give her mother-in-law a hug. Elizabeth just smiled and said, "Now, have you and Cal discussed about having a family yet?" Abby said, "Not exactly… I would like to have children, but I want to wait a while. I think Cal does too. We're still getting to know each other as a married couple." Elizabeth said, "I respect that… I want plenty of grandchildren though."

Abby laughed and said, "All in due time… I may not be ready yet, but I do want to have a family one day."

Elizabeth and Abby continued their visit, when they heard Cal walk in the door. Cal had a small bouquet of flowers in his hand, and was pleasantly surprised seeing his mother. Cal said, "Mother, what a wonderful surprise! I wasn't expecting you." Elizabeth replied, "I wanted to spend some time with my daughter-in-law and find out how you two were doing. You haven't stopped by to see me after your return home."

Cal said, "I'm sorry Mother. Work has been so hectic… this transition period hasn't been easy. I hope things settle down soon so I can some free time for my family." Abby saw the bouquet and said, "Darling, are those for me?" Cal smiled and said, "Yes, I thought you would like them."

Elizabeth smiled… she was proud of her son for showing his love and affection for his wife. Nathan hardly was ever affectionate with her… she meant what she said to Abby about keeping their marriage a priority. Elizabeth stayed for lunch, and headed home shortly after.

Cal and Abby were finally alone, and able to catch up on things. Cal said, "It was wonderful seeing my mother… I didn't realize how much I missed her." Abby said, "Yes, it was. I missed our talks. Your mother is such a sweetheart… she really helped me and gave me great advice when I needed it."

Cal said, "Really? My mother is truly an angel." Abby said, "She helped me get through some insecurities and survive all the craziness of the wedding planning. She was there for me when I was missing my mother." Cal said, "We must make a trip to Boston to visit your family when all the craziness at work dies down."

Abby smiled and said, "I would love that…. I haven't been to Boston in ages. I've been mailing off my designs so it would be nice to see my family and drop off my designs in person."

Cal said, "This is nice… we haven't had a proper conversation since our honeymoon. I feel like I've been neglecting you… I am so sorry for missing dinner last night."

Abby gently touched Cal's hand and said, "Cal, I've already forgiven you." She ended up giving him a small smirk and continued, "And you more than made up for it last night."

Cal caught her smirk; he started laughing and said, "You little tease… I love you." He leaned over and gave Abby a gentle kiss. Happy that they talked, the newlyweds just spent the rest of their day together.

After that, Cal made more of an effort to come home at a decent hour. He did it for his own sanity, but also to spend time with his wife. Abby would light up seeing Cal come home, and overall this helped to strengthen their marriage.

A couple of weeks passed, when Abby started to feel ill. Cal became awfully concerned one morning, when he woke up to find his wife running to the bathroom and heard her vomiting. Cal got up and walked to the bathroom to find his wife hunched over on the floor. She looked very pale that Cal rushed over to her side.

Cal couldn't hide his concern and said, "Darling, are you okay? I hate seeing you so sick." Abby said, "I don't know what's wrong… I've been feeling off since we came home a few weeks ago. I just started with this nausea and vomiting." Suddenly a thought came to Cal… he was shocked and almost went pale. Cal said, "Darling… are you sure you're not pregnant?" Abby said, "I've always been irregular, but it is a possibility. Oh, my god… what if I am?!"

Cal said, "Darling… it's okay. It may be sooner than we had planned, but nothing would make me happier than starting a family with you." Abby said, "I was hoping that this would happen after we've been married a while."

Cal said, "Why don't we call the doctor to make sure?" He helped Abby to her feet and helped her return to bed. Abby agreed, and decided to rest while Cal made the call to the doctor. Cal also canceled his day at work to stay by his wife's side.

The doctor arrived within the hour. The doctor ushered Cal out of the room to begin Abby's examination, so Cal waited in his office. Cal was pacing in his office, when the doctor knocked on the door and said, "Mr. Hockley… it's Dr. Hendricks. May I enter?"

Cal replied, "Yes, do come in doctor." The doctor found the rather worried man and said, "I just finished the examination on your wife, sir." Cal said, "Is she okay?" The doctor gave a warm smile and said, "She's perfectly fine. Congratulations, Mr. Hockley, you and your wife are expecting a baby."

Cal said, "Abby's pregnant? Well, that's wonderful… she scared me there for a moment." Dr. Hendricks said, "She's just experiencing morning sickness… don't be surprised that now that she knows about the pregnancy if the symptoms become a bit more severe. Have her drink plenty of fluids, and no stress. I'll return next week to see how she is feeling." Cal said, "Thank you Dr. Hendricks. Oh, by the way, how far along is she?" Dr. Hendricks said, "Well, if I'm correct… I believe your wife is around 2-3 months along. I must be on my way. Congratulations again."

The doctor went along his way, and Cal made his way to his room to see his wife. Abby had a worried look on her face, but immediately brightened seeing Cal walk in.

Cal said, "Well, the doctor just told me the news. I can't believe that we're going to be parents." Abby said, "Me too. Cal… this is happening way too fast. We haven't been married long, so we definitely conceived this baby on our honeymoon. Cal, are you happy about this?"

Cal said, "Darling…yes. I'm still in a bit of shock, but I am happy about the baby. Are you happy?" Abby smiled and said, "Yes. I am a little bit worried about becoming a mother so soon. I'm afraid I'll be rather hopeless. I love my mother, but she had a lot of nannies to help raise me and my brother. I want to be there for our child." Cal said, "You will be a wonderful mother; perhaps Nadine could help you so you don't get so overwhelmed."

Abby smiled and said, "Nadine would be perfect… we've become great friends. I don't know what I'd do without her." Cal said, "We could convert the guest bedroom across from ours as the nursery, and eventually it could turn into their room as the baby gets older." Abby said, "If you don't mind, could we at least keep a crib in here… at least for a few months." Cal said, "Of course… the baby could stay in our room for a while, and eventually use the nursery once they are a little older."

Abby laughed and said, "Look at us… we're already making plans for our baby. Our baby… we just got married and now we'll be a family in a few months." She happily placed a hand on her still-flat stomach, but would soon be growing with their child. Now that it was sinking in that she was going to become a mother, Abby's fears were slowly fading away. She was now rather excited, and pleased that Cal was happy about the baby.

Cal now saw the fear in his wife's eyes grow to happiness. He had never seen his wife look so happy or so beautiful. Cal still had his fears that he wouldn't be a good father, but he had no doubts that Abby was going to be a fantastic mother. He vowed that he would be a patient and understanding father; it scared him how close he was to turning into the same vile and domineering person his father is. Cal loved his father, but he lost respect for him. He tried so hard to please Nathan that he was turning into something that he wasn't. In trying to please his father, he was turning cruel and possessive and it cost him Rose's love and respect. Losing Rose started the changes, and Abby's love transformed him into a better man. Now finding out that Abby was pregnant with his child, Cal felt the happiest he had ever been. He couldn't be more in love with his wife, and was excited for the next adventure in their lives.


	15. Chapter 15

Ch. 15: A Visit from New York (Rose's POV)

November 1915

After their talk, Rose and Bobby's relationship continued to grow. Rose began to confide more in Bobby, which greatly surprised her. Bobby truly was kind and understanding, just like Jack was. Rose could never confide in people… Trudy, Jack, Maggie, and now Bobby were the only people that got to see the real Rose. Rose didn't have many friends growing up since all the girls she was forced to spend time with were shallow and vain. They were typical snooty high-society girls who only cared about their station in life, and Rose could only tolerate those girls in small doses. Her mother was never warm and caring; Ruth was so concerned about the debts that she never took the time to listen to her daughter. Cal was indifferent, and expected her to be the perfect little wife.

Trudy was her closest confidant… the only one of the maids that Rose could trust with her secrets. Trudy was the only one who knew that Rose felt stifled by the engagement. She was the only one there to comfort Rose after Cal's outburst. It broke Rose's heart finding out that the poor girl died on Titanic. Rose was angry with her mother for a long time for ordering Trudy back to their staterooms, instead of allowing her a chance to get to the lifeboats. But it didn't surprise Rose; her mother ruled their home and had a reputation for being strict with her maids. Even though Trudy was Rose's maid, Trudy still had to obey Ruth's orders since Ruth was the lady of the house. Because of that, it led to the young woman's death. Rose did not just lose the love of her life, but also lost a true friend that horrible night.

Rose was so grateful that she met Maggie on her arrival in New York. Not many people would have helped her like Maggie did. Maggie was so good to her, and was more of a mother to Rose than Ruth ever was. They kept in touch with letters, and Maggie was thrilled to hear that Rose was doing well in California. Maggie was also happy that Rose was finally in a loving relationship, and was secretly hoping that Rose would take the plunge and marry the man. From Rose's letters, Maggie knew the young woman was happy and that her new beau was a kind, adventurous soul. Maggie could see Rose settling down eventually, but knew that she wasn't ready for marriage yet.

Rose and Maggie hadn't seen each other in two years, so Rose was really surprised that Maggie wanted to visit her for the Thanksgiving holiday. Rose had been spending Thanksgiving with Bobby's family since they had become a couple, but she was looking forward to seeing Maggie. Bobby quickly agreed that Maggie was more than welcome at his home, so Rose was looking forward to a happy holiday seeing an old friend.

Maggie arrived in Santa Monica a couple of days before Thanksgiving; she hadn't traveled in a long time and found California to be quite sunny. Much happier and brighter than New York… she didn't blame Rose for wanting to move out here. Rose and Bobby met Maggie at the train station, where the two women had a heartfelt reunion.

The two women were so happy to see each other. Rose couldn't stop smiling and said, "Maggie, I'm so glad you're here. I'm amazed that you were able to leave the boarding house for a few days."

Maggie laughed and said, "It helps when you are the owner. That and I left Sarah in charge… she's been such a great help. I started to train her how to do the books over a year ago, so she's basically like my assistant now. Sarah was the one who convinced me to make the trip."

Rose said, "Well, that's wonderful. I'm so glad Sarah turned out to be a worthy replacement." Maggie said, "Yes, it all worked out in the end. Now who is this handsome fellow with you?" Rose smiled and said, "Maggie, I'd like you to meet my boyfriend, Bobby Calvert."

Bobby said, "It's a pleasure to meet you Maggie. Rose has told me a lot about you." Maggie said, "I hope all good things. I've been looking forward to meeting you as well from hearing so much about you in Rose's letters."

The three caught a cab, and made their way to Rose's apartment. Bobby helped Maggie with her bags, but had to leave for work. Rose had taken the day off from the diner, and luckily didn't have anything going on at the theater. Maggie quickly made herself at home, and couldn't wait to catch up with Rose.

Maggie said, "Well, now that I'm all settled in… tell me everything that has been going on with you." Rose laughed and said, "I've been great Maggie. I'm a lot happier here than when you first took me in."

Maggie said, "That's apparent. You do look happier… does it have to do with your young man?" Rose blushed and said, "He does have a little something to do with it. I needed a change of scenery from the East coast."

Maggie said, "I'm so proud of you Rose. You've made yourself a nice life here." Rose said, "Yes, it's not much, but I'm happy. It feels nice to be independent; I wouldn't have this in my old life."

Maggie said, "I can imagine… I've heard how restricting high society is for women. Does Bobby know about your former life?" Rose said, "It took me a while, but I told him. I even told him my birth name, and to my surprise he was so understanding."

Maggie said, "So he knows you are a Titanic survivor? That you escaped by changing your name?" Rose said, "Yes; I was so afraid that he was going to be furious with me. He told me he doesn't care about my past; he loves me for who I really am."

Maggie said, "He seems like a kind and understanding fellow. I could tell right away that the man is clearly head over heels in love with you. Do you two plan to get married?"

Rose said, "I love Bobby, but I'm still not ready for marriage. I know Bobby wants to marry me, but he's not pushing me for it. I'm so grateful for that."

Maggie said, "Don't leave the poor man waiting too long. You've got a good one, Rose." Rose laughed and said, "Believe me; I know. I fear sometimes that Bobby is too good to be true. After my awful engagement and Titanic, I'd never thought I would fall in love again."

Maggie caught on to that and said, "You lost someone very special to you on Titanic, didn't you?" Rose got slightly uncomfortable and said, "I did, but I rather not talk about that."

Maggie knew not pry further and said, "It's okay, Rose. I'm sorry if I pried too much; I had forgotten how painful Titanic is for you. I wish I could slap that awful bastard that you were engaged to; he sounds like a nightmare."

Rose let out a sarcastic chuckle and said, "It probably wouldn't work… Caledon Hockley is rather stubborn." Maggie was shocked and said, "You were engaged to Caledon Hockley?! That pompous Pittsburg steel heir that is always in the society pages. I read that he lost his previous fiancé on Titanic, which makes you…"

Rose smiled and said, "Rose Dewitt-Bukator. Yes, but she died on that horrible night. I'm much happier being Rose Dawson. I would have never been happy being Cal's little wife."

Maggie said, "Well, did you hear the rumors that the society pages are saying? That the new Mrs. Hockley is pregnant?" Rose couldn't help the sly grin forming on her face and said, "I figured sooner or later that we'd be reading about his little wife being pregnant. I bet she's waiting until she's showing more to make it official. I feel sorry for her carrying the spawn of that awful man."

Maggie said, "The society pages were going on and on about that wedding. Saying that it was quite the event… and that the couple seemed to be very much in love."

Rose said, "Well, good for them… maybe it was meant to be. Even though Cal was such a bastard, I'm glad that he found a love in his wife." Maggie gave Rose a look and replied, "That's very mature, and forgiving."

Rose said, "It was hard, but I've managed to forgive him a long time ago. Everyone deserves a chance to find a true love, even if they are egotistical bastards. I just hope he treats her right; better than he treated me."

Maggie said, "Did that bastard even love you?" Rose said, "Like I told Bobby, I honestly don't know if Cal really loved me. Even though we were engaged, we never really knew each other."

Maggie asked, "That's terrible… at least my Thomas and I were in love when we married. Why where you going to marry that man if you didn't love him?"

Rose said, "It was an arranged engagement. When my father died, my mother discovered that we were practically penniless. She was so desperate, that she sent me off to finishing school so I could become a suitable bride for a wealthy man."

Maggie said, "That's pitiful; how could a mother do that?" Rose said, "My mother never lived a day in her life without money; my mother was more concerned about money than she was about my happiness. I could never confide in her."

Maggie said, "Have you ever thought about contacting her?" Rose said, "No… Cal may be married now, but I wouldn't put it past my mother to try to set me up with someone else if I returned. Here I have my freedom, and a life I thought I would never have."

Maggie said, "I didn't think about that. Have you heard of what happened to her after Titanic?" Rose said, "My mother has dropped out of the limelight after my funeral. I don't even know if she was able to continue to live in our old home. If Cal was supporting my mother, I doubt that he would continue now that he's married and fixing to start his family with his new wife."

Maggie decided to change the subject and asked, "Well, enough depressing talk. Tell me how you met Bobby! I know you told me quite a bit in your letters, but I want to hear it straight from you."

Rose laughed and said, "Well, we met at the diner where I work. In fact, he defended me from a rather rude customer." Maggie said, "So he was your knight in shining armor? How romantic… how long was it till you two started to see each other?"

Rose said, "We became friends first… Bobby didn't ask me out until months later. And it took him a while to convince me to take a chance on him."

Maggie said, "Well, I'm glad you did. Rose, do you see yourself marrying Bobby one day?" Rose said, "I'm still working through my issues, but I do love him. When it's the right time… I could see myself as his wife."

Maggie was glad to hear that… hearing Rose's story, the poor girl lived a rather unhappy life before they had met. Rose deserved to be happy, and Bobby seemed to be the man that could do that. Maggie knew that Rose had been grieving after Titanic, and knew it wasn't due to losing her old life. Rose was grieving the loss of someone she truly loved, and this visit confirmed that Rose did lose a loved one. Maggie wondered who it was, but didn't want to pry. Rose deserved her privacy, and Maggie would continue to be there for her if she ever wanted to talk about her lost loved one.

Maggie spent the rest of her visit just catching up with Rose, and even got to know Bobby a little better. Maggie thoroughly enjoyed Thanksgiving at the Calvert home, finding Bobby's parents lively and very welcoming. It made Maggie so happy to see how the Calverts had fully welcomed Rose into their family, and Maggie felt easy that Rose would be loved and cared for once she married into this family.

Maggie left a few days after Thanksgiving to return to New York, which made Rose very sad. Maggie made Rose promise to visit her in New York in the future, and even told her to bring Bobby. Maggie also slyly told Rose that she better be invited to Rose's wedding once she came to her senses. Rose laughed at that, but knew that she would keep her promises to Maggie.

Visiting with Maggie again, Rose had a lot to think about for her future. Rose was happy with Bobby, and now could freely say that she loved him. It wasn't the same type of love that she had with Jack, but it was growing into something permanent. Rose would always love Jack, but Bobby worked his way into her heart. She truly found someone that she could love, eventually marry and form a family with. Rose smiled, and knew she was well on her way to keeping her promise to Jack. No longer was she sad; she was now looking forward to keeping that promise to Jack.

 _ **Despite a busy work schedule, I was able to crank out these two new chapters. And I'm halfway done with a third chapter! I hope to complete that chapter soon... I am fixing to head back to school soon, so I won't be able to write as much as I would like. I will still work on it and continue to update when I am able to.**_


	16. Chapter 16

Ch. 16: An Unwelcome Visitor (Cal's POV)

January 1916

After Cal and Abby found out that they were expecting, they immediately told their families. Abby figured out that she was most likely going to be due sometime in late April or early May. The two families were very excited, but Abby wanted to wait to announce her pregnancy until she was showing more. Rumors began to swirl around November, since Abby's body was beginning to change. It wasn't until January when Abby's pregnancy really became noticeable.

Abby had to get a whole new wardrobe as the pregnancy progressed… she also had to deal with the everyday symptoms of pregnancy. She was miserable during the first months of pregnancy, but she was excited that she was having a child.

Cal was also excited about the pregnancy, and was hoping that the child was a boy. Cal wasn't opposed to having a girl, but in high society it was preferred that boys would be the first-born, then followed by girls. A son would secure his legacy, but he would be happy no matter what. He could picture a son that looked just like him or a daughter that had the beauty of his wife.

It was a cold January morning, when someone from Cal's past stopped by for a visit. Abby was working away in her office, while Nadine was busy cleaning downstairs in the living room. Nadine heard a knock on the door; she was surprised as her mistress hadn't been expecting any visitors. She assumed that it was Cal's mother wanting to see her daughter-in-law; the Hockley matriarch had been making frequent visits as Abby's pregnancy progressed.

To Nadine's surprise, it wasn't Elizabeth Hockley. It was a middle-aged redheaded woman who was obviously part of high society, but appeared to be very bitter in life. The woman had an air of authority in her voice as she asked the maid, "Excuse me, but this is the home of Caledon Hockley?"

Nadine said, "Yes, mam. Mr. Hockley isn't home right now, but Mrs. Hockley is. Shall I announce you?" Ruth said, "I wanted to talk to Caledon, but it will be fine talking with the new Mrs. Hockley. I'm Ruth Dewitt-Bukator."

Nadine ushered the woman inside, and Ruth took a seat in the living room. Nadine quickly rushed upstairs to let Abby know about her visitor.

Abby was working away on another drawing, when she heard a knock on the door. She heard Nadine say, "Mrs. Abigail, may I enter? I need to talk to you."

Abby told Nadine to enter, and saw that the maid had a surprised look on her face. Nadine said, "Mrs. Abigail, you have a visitor in the living room." Abby said, "Is it my mother-in-law? You know that all you have to say that Elizabeth is here." Nadine said, "No, mam. It's someone that I've never met. She came asking for Mr. Hockley. She said her name was Ruth Dewitt-Bukator."

Abby dropped her pencil in shock. Abby said, "That is Rose's mother! I wonder what she wants." Nadine was surprised that Abby was familiar with the woman and asked, "You know this woman? And who is Rose?"

Abby sighed and said, "Rose was Cal's former fiancé that died in 1912; Ruth is her mother. I never met the woman, but I heard Ruth Dewitt-Bukator is someone to cautious with. If she wants to see Cal, she obviously wants something."

Nadine said, "I didn't get any friendly vibes from the woman. I don't think it's wise to talk to her, especially in your condition."

Abby said, "I appreciate your concern Nadine. I may be pregnant, but I am more than capable of handling this situation. If I can handle my father-in-law, I sure can handle this woman."

Abby steeled herself to meet the mother of the woman that Cal would have married. Even though pregnant, Abby was a woman not to be underestimated. Abby had intelligence, and even helped Cal secure several deals. She learnt a lot from her father, and wasn't afraid to use her intelligence when it was needed. She wasn't going to let this woman intimidate her.

Ruth remained seated, when she heard the click of heels coming down the stairway. Ruth looked up to see a rather young and beautiful brunette make her way towards her. The young woman was also clearly pregnant, but still had grace and poise. This obviously was Cal's new wife… the woman who quickly had replaced her daughter Rose.

Abby could see the flash of resentment in the woman's eyes… Ruth was obviously bitter that Cal had married after Rose's death. Abby kept her composure and confidently made her way to the woman. Abby said, "Hello, Mrs. Dewitt-Bukator. I'm Abigail Dawson-Hockley. It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance."

Ruth said, "Likewise… I wanted to talk to Caledon about a few things. Do you have any idea when he will be home?" Abby said, "Cal is currently at work, but he'll be home for lunch in a while. If you want, maybe I could help you."

Ruth said, "I'm surprised that Cal lets you handle visitors, especially in your condition." Abby bristled and said, "I may be pregnant, but I am not disabled. I am perfectly able to handle guests while Cal is not here." Ruth said, "Hmm… you have quite a spark. Reminds me a lot of my daughter; god rest her soul. You know that my Rose was supposed to be Cal's wife."

Abby calmly responded, "Yes… Cal told me about Rose, and about her death on Titanic. He also told me that Rose was never in love with him."

Ruth said, "I'm surprised that Cal told you that much. My Rose was too stubborn for her own good. It's what led to her death. Did Cal ever tell you the whole story? Of what he did to my daughter… most likely he didn't. You wouldn't have married him if you knew."

Abby said, "What are you accusing my husband? Your daughter died in a tragic accident; her death wasn't Cal's fault." Ruth gave out a rather cruel laugh and said, "If only you knew. You should ask your dear husband of what happened on Titanic."

Abby said, "You are just bitter that your precious Rose is dead, and that I am Cal's wife. The difference between me and your daughter is that I love my husband. I saw pictures of Rose; she looked so unhappy. Did you even care about her happiness before you forced her into an engagement?"

Ruth said, "You insolent girl… I loved my daughter. I regret her death every day; I pushed her too much. I only wanted what was best for her."

Abby said, "And marrying Cal was what was best for your daughter; even though she made it clear that she was not in love with him."

Ruth said, "You wouldn't understand. You come from a powerful family… you didn't need to marry Cal for his money. I'm even surprised Cal married you with that maiden name you have. The only reason why Cal probably married you is because you are a Boston Dawson."

Abby knew it was the hormones getting to her when she snapped and said, "Yes, I am a Boston Dawson, and proud of it. I am fully aware that one of the reasons Cal married me was to form an alliance between our families. But we fell in love along the way, and I will not have you disrespect my husband in my presence."

Suddenly a very harsh voice interrupted saying, "Ruth, it would not be wise to continue to upset my wife. What are you doing here?" The two women turned to find a rather upset Cal standing in the doorway.

Ruth was shocked hearing the menacing tone in Cal's voice. Cal was more than upset with Ruth; he heard the last bit of the conversation and how she insulted Abby. Insulting him was one thing, but insulting Abby was crossing the line. Abby was more than relieved seeing her husband, and quickly rushed to his side. Cal pulled his wife into a hug and asked, "Darling, are you okay?"

Abby said, "I'm okay now that you're home. I was just about to throw out this hateful bitch." Cal wanted to laugh seeing Ruth's eyes grow wide in shock hearing his wife curse; Ruth had no clue that Abby was a firecracker and could curse as well as any man when someone made her angry.

Cal said, "Darling, calm down. I'll handle this… Ruth, follow me to my office. We can talk there, and I have a few choice words for you myself."

Abby gave Ruth a pointed look, and excused herself. Cal and Ruth headed to his office, where Cal immediately shut the door so they could talk in private.

Cal said, "Ruth… I heard what you said to my wife. That was uncalled for and rather cruel. You can insult me all you want, but you crossed the line insulting Abby. Abby does not know about our history, and did not deserve your venom. She is my wife and is pregnant with my child, so you will respect her!"

Ruth said, "Your little wife insulted me as well. You've changed Cal; the Cal I knew wouldn't let his woman be so outspoken." Cal growled, "Watch it, Ruth, or you will definitely see the old Cal. Insult Abby again, and so help me I will throw you out of this house myself."

Ruth said, "You wouldn't dare… not when I could ruin your reputation." Cal didn't bother to hide the menacing tone in his voice; it felt as if the old Cal did take over as he said, "Try me… I'm more than tempted to take away your allowance. You know I have a lot of influence and power; you wouldn't last in a fight against me."

Ruth saw the anger take over Cal, and honestly became a bit scared. She decided to stand her ground as she let out a loud, bitter scoff and said, "And there's the old Cal that my daughter hated rearing his ugly head. I never thought you would behave this way with me. Rose was right… you didn't deserve her. No wonder she ran off with that Dawson boy."

Cal said, "How dare you bring up Jack and Rose like this? Let them rest in peace. You have no idea how much I loved Rose, and how it nearly killed me when I lost her."

This shocked Ruth; she never realized that Cal really did love her daughter. She saw the pain in Cal's eyes, and realized that Cal meant every word he said.

Cal said, "Do you even realize that it was because of me that you weren't left out in the streets? My father wanted me to cut off all ties with you after Rose's funeral and not give you another dime of our money. And this is how you repay my kindness?"

Ruth said, "You mean to tell me that it was because of you is why I continue to get an allowance from your family?" Cal said, "Yes, Ruth. I'm not completely heartless… I did it because Rose would have wanted me to make sure that you were cared for. I figured it would be a step in the right direction after the way I had treated her."

Ruth became ashamed of her actions and said, "Cal, I'm so sorry. Please accept my apology… I'm just so miserable without my daughter. Rose was my whole world, and I pushed her away from me. I was so worried about our situation, that I completely ignored what she wanted. Rose was right… I was the selfish one. I was being selfish by forcing her into an engagement."

Cal softened his tone and said, "Ruth, you need to forgive yourself. It's not easy, but you need to realize that you shouldn't carry all the blame. I blamed Jack for ruining my relationship with Rose, but I had to see that I was also responsible in the breakdown. That there were cracks before Jack came into our lives."

A small, but sincere smile came across Ruth's face. Ruth replied, "Cal, you really have changed. You are not the same man that was on Titanic." Cal said, "I'll take that as a compliment. I can't change what happened to Rose, but her death helped me become a better person. I wish that these changes had happened while Rose was alive."

Ruth said, "I think Rose would have liked this Cal… it truly is a shame that we will never know. Please apologize to your wife for me… I must be on my way." Cal said, "Very well. I also must apologize for my actions. I tend to get very overprotective when it comes to Abby."

Ruth said, "Well, it is understandable. She is your wife… and it is obvious that she loves you very much. And I realize that you love her as well." Cal said, "I do… she is the best thing in my life right now." Ruth said, "Then you should tell her the truth about what happened on Titanic. She deserves to know."

Cal sighed and said, "I know. I'm afraid she'll hate me if I tell her the whole story." Ruth said, "If she loves you as much as I think she does, she will forgive you."

Cal said, "It's still frightening… I don't want to lose her or our child. But you are right… I need to tell my wife the truth. Thank you for the advice."

Ruth nodded, shook Cal's hand, and made her way out the door. Ruth left feeling a bit better after talking to Cal; she had only come to demand more money out of Cal, but left deciding the amount that he was giving her was more than enough. If Cal had managed to change for the better, maybe she could as well. Ruth left with a lot to think about, but was finally starting to let go of her bitterness.

After Ruth left, Cal made his way downstairs. He found Abby waiting in the living room, who was more than anxious to find out what happened. Abby was relieved to see that Cal wasn't angry or upset, but he looked like he was lost in his thoughts.

Abby said, "Is everything okay, darling?" Cal managed to give a small smile and said, "Yes, Ruth and I managed to come to an understanding. And she actually apologized to me… that's a first."

Abby said, "I still can't believe that woman was Rose's mother! She was completely horrid to me… I can only imagine how she treated her daughter! No wonder Rose was so miserable!"

Cal said, "I appreciate that you stood up for Rose; no one ever did. Sometimes it was curious to me how that woman had such an extraordinary daughter. Rose had spirit, but she had a warmth that you couldn't help but like her."

Abby said, "Even though I never knew Rose, I feel that it wasn't right what had happened to her. I could have very well turned into her… engaged to marry a man I didn't love. That's why I was so fearful of marriage… my parents were getting desperate for me to marry."

Cal said, "So were mine. My father was the one who made the match between me and Rose. When we met, I was still grieving. But you managed to open my heart again."

Abby said, "I'm glad Cal… I feared that you could never love me. When we got engaged, I was already in love with you. It wasn't until our wedding that I felt that you truly loved me."

Cal said, "Abby, I turned into a better man because of you. I was arrogant and thoughtless with Rose; I was so confident that I could buy Rose's love and affection. I should have been kind and treated her with respect. If I had done that, maybe Rose would still be alive today."

Abby said, "Cal, do you blame yourself for Rose's death? It was not your fault… you didn't make the ship sink."

Cal said, "No, but I drove Rose away from me. I'm so ashamed… I couldn't tell you the whole story of what happened on Titanic."

Abby said, "Cal, I always suspected that you were a different person before Titanic. I've heard the rumors that people thought you were a rather arrogant and pompous bastard before we met. But I could see that you were trying to become someone better; it's one of the reasons I fell in love with you. I saw someone who honestly wanted to change their ways. I never pushed you to tell me about your experience on Titanic since I knew it was painful for you."

Cal said, "Titanic is more than painful… it's a dark stain on my soul. I was a completely different person; I was well on my way into turning into my father."

This shocked Abby... the Cal she knew was nothing like Nathan Hockley, but the Cal of 1912 could have very well been another Nathan! Cal saw the surprise on his wife's face and continued, "I know it's hard to believe, but the Cal of 1912 was an unimaginable bastard. In a way, I'm glad that you never got to see me that way. I was rather cruel and possessive of Rose, that it cost me her love and respect. I drove her into the arms of another man."

Abby remained silent as Cal told her the entire story of what happened on Titanic. Abby was amazed hearing the tale… she still couldn't believe that Rose had a love affair with a young third-class man named Jack Dawson! No wonder Cal was reluctant when they first started courting… her last name had been the same as the man that had stolen his fiancé!

Abby began to understand Rose a whole lot better after hearing the tale; the old Cal didn't cherish the young woman, and Abby felt bad that poor Rose felt stifled by the engagement. Abby began to understand that Rose wanted a life of freedom and wanted to be independent; Rose wanted to more than a rich man's wife. She didn't understand how Rose managed to fall for a stranger so quickly, but she didn't doubt Cal when he said that he saw a genuine love between Jack and Rose. Abby was sad at the tragedy of the story; it was too much like a Romeo and Juliet story, where the two star-crossed lovers died in the end. Abby was a bit upset that Cal didn't tell her the story at the beginning of their relationship, but she understood his fear. Appearances were everything in their world, and this story would have completely stained his reputation. Abby knew her father would have never allowed her to marry Cal, if the truth had been revealed.

Cal was nervous as he ended the story; Abby was way too quiet. Finally, Cal broke the silence and said, "Well now you know my whole story. Abby, please tell me something."

Abby then gently reached over and gave her husband a comforting hug. Abby softly said, "Cal, thank you for being honest with me. I wish you would have come to me sooner. No one deserves to live with that pain that you been carrying."

Cal let out a sigh of relief and said, "You don't hate me?" Abby said, "No, I don't hate you. I am a bit disappointed in your actions, but I can't judge you too harshly since you did it out of a broken heart. I didn't know the person you were back then, but now I understand the person Rose was."

Cal said, "You do? How do you feel about the whole story?" Abby said, "Honestly, I'm conflicted. I don't understand how Rose fell in love so fast, but I don't blame her. She was so unhappy, but she obviously found a love in someone that understood her. She was unfaithful, but at least you two weren't married yet. Cal… I hate to say this, but maybe it was meant to be. You weren't the person that Rose needed, and that marriage would have been a disaster. You both would have been miserable… she would have pining for this Jack throughout your marriage, and you would have continued to try to force her to love you."

Cal said, "You are probably right… I was so angry with her for giving her heart to another, especially after everything I had done for her and her mother. For the longest time, I wondered why she chose a poor artist over me. I did love her and I would have given her everything."

Abby said, "Cal, I know you loved her, but did you ever make the effort to show her? I know you told me that you gave her that fancy necklace, but a woman needs more than gifts to know that a man loves her. A woman wants to know that she is truly loved; not just because she is beautiful, but for who she really is. I feel that Rose resisted you because you didn't make the effort to know the person she truly was."

Cal said, "That is one of my biggest regrets. Rose was a wonderful woman; she was so different from the other girls that I met. I fell in love with her because of her unique spirit, but I tried to control it. I should have never done that. I didn't know how much I loved her until I lost her; it broke my heart seeing her with Jack."

Abby said, "Cal, you can't change the past. At least you learned from your mistakes… Rose taught you how to love properly." Cal smiled and said, "Yes, she did, and I'll always be grateful for that. I'm glad that I took a chance and allowed myself to love again… I can honestly say that I love you with all my heart."

Abby said, "I love you too, Cal. But we need to continue to be honest with each other… no more secrets. We are partners in this marriage; we have to trust each other. We have to have faith that our love will get us through any hardships, especially once our child is born."

Cal smiled and said, "How did I get so lucky to be married to such a wonderful and understanding woman? I honestly don't know what I do without you."

Abby gave a cheeky smile and said, "You'd probably be miserable without me." Suddenly the baby gave a strong kick and Abby quickly put Cal's hand on her stomach. Cal laughed and said, "Looks like our baby agrees. My, that was a strong kick. This child will surely keep us on our toes."

Abby said, "I know… the baby has been very active lately. The doctor is pleased that so far everything is going so well. He expects the baby will be quite strong and healthy. I can't wait to meet our child, but I'm a little nervous about giving birth." Cal said, "Darling, you will be a wonderful mother. I can't wait to meet our child either, and I promise I will be there to support you."

Abby said, "You better… this is your fault after all." Cal laughed and said, "Darling… I hate to say this, but you are as much to blame as I am." The couple laughed at their joke, and just held each other.

Cal felt grateful that Abby didn't judge him for his actions after he told his story about what happened on Titanic. After finally telling Abby the whole story, Cal felt like another huge weight had been lifted off his chest. Even though Cal had mostly come to terms with his guilt, he never realized that it was still weighing on his conscience. He had needed to be honest with his wife, and was happy that Abby wasn't angry with him. He did not expect for Abby to be so understanding, and she gave him some great insights into his relationship with Rose. He was also glad that Abby didn't hate Rose; she may have been conflicted about the whole situation, but she was right that the relationship was turning into a disaster. It hit Cal like a ton of bricks when Abby told him that he wasn't the person that Rose needed; it hurt even more that it was true. Hearing Abby's honest opinion made Cal realize that the person he was didn't deserve Rose's love. It had taken a while, but Cal finally regretted how he treated Jack and Rose.

Cal hadn't known how to love Rose properly, but he promised himself that he would love Abby and their child unconditionally. Abby and the baby deserved that; he wanted them to be a proper, loving family. He did not want his marriage turning into his parents; he knew all about his father's affairs. Cal knew that his mother sincerely loved his father, and that it hurt her very much every time his father cheated. Cal hated that he had been quite a wild playboy in his youth, but he vowed that he would never hurt his wife that way.

Cal was amazed how he handled the situation with Ruth; the old Cal would not have been so understanding with that spiteful woman. But it surprised him that the old Cal still lurked underneath the surface… he was glad that he could reign it in before he made the situation worse. He was glad that he ended the confrontation on a good note with Ruth. He finally had closure with Ruth, and felt that he could now finally close that painful chapter of his life. He was now ready to move on the next chapter of his life.

 _ **Well, this was a fun chapter to write! I didn't realize how much I wanted to bring Ruth back until I wrote this chapter! I figured she would be sort of nasty to Abby, and I wanted Cal to walk in the middle of their argument! I figured it would be best for Cal to come clean with Abby after Ruth so cruelly brought up the past. But I also wanted to showcase how far Cal has come since 1912; be prepared I am gearing up to start getting into the 1920's which Cal will face hardship. I'm back in school so updates won't happen quickly. I've also been battling some writer's block, but I promise I am working on the next chapters. Until next time! :)**_


	17. Chapter 17

Ch. 17: The Beginning of A Promise Kept (Rose's POV)

April 1916

Rose couldn't believe how time quickly passes by. It seems like yesterday that she was visiting with Maggie over the Thanksgiving holiday, and now it was April 1916. Rose also couldn't believe that she was now 21 years old and fixing to celebrate her 22nd birthday.

April was the hardest month of the year for Rose, especially April 14-15. It would now be four years since the sinking, and four years since she lost Jack. This anniversary was different though; she was finally happy. She could look back and think of Jack fondly, holding on to the happy memories of their short time together. She managed to find love again, even though it still sometimes scared her.

Life was going great for Rose, and she couldn't be happier. Rose was beginning to become the star of the local theater in Santa Monica. Her relationship with Bobby was at its strongest, and they both were seriously considering the next step of marriage.

When Rose was 17, she couldn't imagine getting married! She didn't know if she believed in love, as she felt doomed being in a loveless engagement. Then she met and fell in love with Jack. It amazed her that she really was considering marriage; especially after she felt she could never fall in love again after Jack. Jack would always be the love of her life, but Bobby helped her to heal and believe in love again.

Rose felt that Jack would be proud of her, and felt that he would highly approve of Bobby becoming her husband. Bobby and Jack were so similar that Rose had to wonder sometimes if the two men she loved were distantly related. The Calverts did have some family ties to Wisconsin, but they never mentioned if they still had family there. Rose wanted to go to Wisconsin one day and see Chippewa Falls, but figured that finding any information on Jack would be impossible. Jack had mentioned he lost his parents in a fire when he was 15, and had no close family nearby. She felt sad that Jack had no family, and only had his best friend Fabrizio. She and Jack would have only had each other, but she had no doubts that they would have been happy together.

Bobby loved Rose, and he was happy that Rose loved him back. Bobby had previous relationships before, but no woman captured his heart like Rose did. Rose was the woman he wanted to spend the rest of his life with; she was the woman that he wanted to be the mother of his children. Over the years, his parents had fully welcomed Rose into the family and it was becoming the joke of the family of when would they get married. His mother, Lillian, adored Rose and sincerely wanted her to join the family. Bobby felt glad that Rose also adored his mother, especially after he found out that Rose didn't have a sincere, loving relationship with her own mother.

Bobby loved seeing Rose act on stage… she came alive and she was so believable playing all sorts of different characters. Rose recently had to play a rather villainous character, and she was so afraid that she wouldn't be able to portray the character accurately. Of course, Rose did wonderfully and got rave reviews for her performance. He honestly thought that she could become a great film star, but sometimes he wondered if it would be wise for Rose to pursue a career as a professional actress. He did some research and found some old photos in the society pages of Rose when she was Rose Dewitt-Bukator. Rose was now older, but there would be no mistaking her if she went public as Rose Dawson.

After Bobby found the newspaper clippings, he wasn't sure how he was going to bring this up to Rose. Rose might become angry that he was looking into her past, but he was concerned about her safety.

The couple were having dinner at Rose's apartment, when Rose noticed that Bobby was too quiet. Rose said, "Bobby, you are being awfully quiet. What is going on with you?" Bobby said, "Rose, I've been awfully concerned after that glowing review and photo of you in the paper."

Rose said, "What are you so concerned about?" Bobby said, "Rose, if you continue acting you run the risk of being discovered." He pulled out the newspaper clippings and set them on the table in front of Rose. Bobby continued, "Rose, you were engaged to a well-known and powerful businessman. I'm just scared that one day Cal will find out that you are alive. You are awfully talented, and I honestly think that you could become a well-known actress. If Cal finds you, what's stopping him from taking you home?"

Rose said, "Okay, you are overreacting! First, Cal is married! He's married to that Abigail Dawson; it would be suicide to his reputation if he left her. Divorce is frowned upon in high society; remember the scandal that J.J Astor went through when he married Madeline Astor?"

Bobby was angry and said, "Still… you told me Cal Hockley was a dangerous man. I wouldn't put it past him to drag you back, and force you to be his mistress." Rose said, "Over my dead body would I ever allow that. Cal would drag me back kicking and screaming. Besides I could easily tell the press what a nightmare he was, and how he really acted during the sinking."

Bobby said, "Rose, take this seriously! It may be four years since Rose Dewitt-Bukator died, but people could easily make the connection seeing a current photo of you. You are older, but you haven't really changed in appearance."

Rose grabbed a photo from her living room table and put it next to the newspaper clippings. Rose said, "Look at the photos and compare the two. Tell me what you see, and if you see any difference between the high society girl and who I am now."

Bobby said, "You are acting like a spoiled brat." Rose said, "And you are being an overprotective fool! Just look at the damn photos!"

Bobby didn't wish to argue with Rose any further, and did as he was told. He carefully studied the photos and began his description. Bobby sighed and said, "Well, I see a rather unhappy young woman in the newspaper clippings. I see the strength and fire in her eyes, but that its slowly dimming. Like she's fighting, but it is wearing her out."

Rose said, "Very accurate description of the old Rose. Now what do you see in the other photo? Remember this is one that you took of me!" Bobby smiled as he looked at one of his favorite pictures of Rose and said, "I see the same woman from the newspaper clippings, but she is much happier. She looks more mature and sure of herself. She radiates beauty and confidence, and she has a sparkle in her eyes. This is the woman I fell in love with."

Rose smiled when she heard Bobby say that. Rose said, "Yes, this is who I am. I am no longer that sad and trapped teenage girl that was doomed to a loveless marriage. I can hardly believe that was me… I've changed. I'm not a child, and I resent being treated like one. I hated the high-society life because I was expected to be this decorative object. I was meant to do something with my life; I don't know even if I want to act professionally, but I enjoy it. Bobby, don't make me give up something that makes me happy."

Bobby sighed and he could see Rose's point of view. He knew that Rose had seen her old life as a cage; she loved the freedom she gained in her new life. He knew how much she enjoyed the stage and decided that it wasn't right to ask her to give that up. Bobby said, "You're right, Rose. I guess I got myself worked up over nothing. I just don't want nothing to happen to you; I love you too much for that."

Rose said, "I love you too, and I'm glad we talked. I understand your concern, but I feel that no one will make the connection of who I really am. If Cal didn't make the connection on the Carpathia, I know he won't now. He's too wrapped up in his own life right now; did you read his wife is supposed to give birth to their first child any day now?"

Bobby said, "I didn't even know the bastard and his wife were expecting; must have been a honeymoon baby… he hasn't even been married a year yet."

Rose laughed and said, "You're probably right. You know his wife is my age… she's also a fashion designer. I'm surprised that Cal lets her continue that work… I wanted to go to university to study, and he put his foot down. Said that since I was marrying him, I didn't need to further my education. He just wanted me to care for his home and bear his children."

Bobby said, "That's pitiful; what do you think your life would be like being married to Cal?" Rose sighed and said, "I would have been miserable… Cal was more than frustrated that I didn't love him; he wanted a sexual relationship before we were married. I gently turned him down every time; I couldn't give myself to a man I didn't love."

Bobby was surprised hearing that and it made him hate Cal Hockley even more. He and Rose had kissed, but had yet to make love. As a gentleman, he wasn't going to force Rose. He loved and respected her too much for that. Rose was grateful that Bobby was a gentleman with her; she knew when their kisses got too passionate that he desired her, but he never forced her to do anything that she was uncomfortable with. She still wasn't ready for that and appreciated that he wanted to wait until they were both ready for that stage.

Bobby said, "I still can't believe that bastard… makes me wish I could deck him for doing that to you." Rose just gave a sly smile and said, "I know you would; I would pay to see that. I did get my own form of revenge against Cal; during the sinking, he tried to manhandle me so I spat in his face! He was so shocked and let me go right away!"

Rose vividly remembered that moment how furious Cal was when he realized she was leaving him to go find Jack. She was angry when he insulted her saying that she would be a whore to a gutter rat. She loved how she said with a mixture of pride and anger, "I rather be his whore than your wife!" When he refused to let her go, she spat in Cal's face just like Jack had taught her. It was a scary moment, but it would always be one of her favorite memories since that was the moment she finally stood up for herself.

Bobby laughed hearing that… he knew Rose was a spitfire, but hadn't been expecting that. He now wondered what Cal did to Rose for her to do something so drastic. She had told him that Cal had slapped her once, but Rose would not go into further details about her nightmare relationship with Cal. Rose associated Cal with her Rose Dewitt-Bukator past, and was more than determined to keep that persona in the past. Bobby wanted to know more about Rose's past, since he felt that Rose hadn't told him her entire story. He did respect her privacy, and hoped that one day that Rose would be able to tell him her entire story.

Rose could tell that Bobby was getting curious again about her past, and she quickly changed the subject. Talking about Cal or about Titanic always brought back memories; it would forever be a part of her life. She supposed she was still dealing with survivor's guilt; she did feel guilty that she lived when the love of her life and thousands of innocent people had died that horrible night. Rose had started writing in her diary to cope, and it did help her. She may have changed since Titanic, but Rose felt that she changed for the better.

After surviving their first major argument, Bobby started seriously thinking about asking Rose to marry him. Bobby had now bought an engagement ring for Rose; it wasn't anything fancy, but he felt that Rose would love it since it came from him. He had wanted to propose to Rose after their first-year anniversary as a couple, but he knew she wasn't ready back then. Rose was still healing, but he felt now would be the perfect time. He was still scared of the possibility of Rose's rejection, but he had a good feeling that she would accept his proposal.

However, Bobby knew that they would have to wait a little longer before they could get married. Bobby wanted to save money for a proper wedding and to buy a home. He felt that Rose deserved the chance to plan a wedding to her liking. Bobby also wanted to find a better paying job; he loved his photography, but he barely made enough money to support himself. He wasn't a bad writer, and the editor had liked some of the sample articles he had submitted. The editor felt that Bobby would make a great reporter, and currently had a position open. It would mean a lot of travel though, but Bobby felt it would be worth it to make enough money to help take care of Rose.

Several weeks passed, and Rose noticed the change in Bobby's demeanor. She was surprised that Bobby took up a position as a reporter at the paper, alongside with his photographer duties. She was proud of Bobby; he was such a hard worker, but she didn't want him to get overwhelmed. She was curious why Bobby took on the reporter position; he had always told her that he was more than happy with doing the photography. Rose always thought that eventually Bobby would start his own photography studio… photography was gaining popularity, and she felt that Bobby could be quite successful. Rose figured that Bobby just wanted to make a little extra money; she decided that she was getting worried over nothing and started concentrating on preparing for her next role at the theater.

Bobby had started traveling a lot for stories while Rose was preparing for the next play. Bobby would be gone almost an entire week, and only was home for a few days before he had to leave again. After the end of another successful play, Bobby decided to take Rose out to celebrate. Rose was thrilled since Bobby was going to be home for a while, and she had missed him terribly.

Bobby and Rose decided to take a walk along the pier before returning home. Bobby and Rose were just talking; trying to catch up with each other. Rose said, "I'm so glad that you got to see the final performance. I was thinking you weren't going to be able to see this play."

Bobby said, "I haven't missed one of your performances; I wasn't planning on starting now. Things are starting to settle down, so I won't be traveling as much. My editor wants me to focus on local pieces for a while; he doesn't want me to get burned out with all the traveling. I'm just glad he hasn't sent me out of state yet. The paper is still small, but I know my editor would like to build it into something bigger."

Rose said, "I've read a few of your pieces… they were very good. Although I noticed that you've been writing more sport pieces lately. I'm just glad that you don't have to write the society pages… it's just a bunch of gossip."

Bobby laughed and said, "I know… I'm glad that Marcie is the one that does that for us. She's a good reporter, but our editor uses her more like a secretary. She's a terrific writer, and she's given me some great pointers that helped me improve my writing."

Rose said, "Well I'm glad that she helped you… Marcie has always been so nice to me every time I've talked to her. She prefers for me to wait on her whenever she stops by the diner." Bobby said, "How is everyone at the diner? I know Emily and the others must be mad at me for being gone lately."

Rose laughed and said, "Emily says you are traveling way too much… the other girls told me I better be careful or some other girl might steal you away from me." Bobby smiled and gave Rose a gentle kiss and said, "You have nothing to worry about… I love you. I wouldn't dare cheat on the woman I love."

Rose returned the smile and said, "I trust you. It took me a long time to be able to trust another man after everything I've been through." Bobby said, "I'm glad that you trust me. Rose, I've been thinking a lot about our future."

Rose was a little surprised and asked, "You have?" Bobby said, "Yes. Rose, I know what we have is special, but I want more for us."

Rose let out a small gasp, as Bobby went down on one knee and held out a simple, but beautiful engagement ring. Bobby said, "Rose, I can't picture the rest of my life without you in it. I knew you were special from the moment that we met; I've wanted to propose for years, but I knew the both of us weren't ready yet. It wasn't until now that I was more than certain about this. Rose, will you marry me?"

It took Rose a moment to speak. She couldn't believe that Bobby proposed; though she wasn't too surprised since they had started talking seriously about getting married. For a second she was scared; she was going through a turmoil of emotions. She felt so guilty that she was happy; part of her heart still felt like she was betraying Jack. But a soft breeze then hit her face; it felt like a tender kiss was placed on her cheek telling her it was okay to say yes. Like Jack was telling her it was okay to be happy. In that moment, Rose knew what her answer would be.

Bobby was nervous, but then he saw that a soft smile formed on Rose's face. Rose said, "I wasn't sure if I could believe in love again. Then I met you… it took me a while, but I fell in love with you. Yes, I'll marry you!"

Bobby immediately slipped the ring onto Rose's finger, and pulled Rose into a rather passionate kiss. Rose laughed, while Bobby couldn't stop smiling. Bobby said, "Well, my mother is going to be happy about our engagement!" Rose said, "I know! Your parents are going to say it's about time that we got engaged."

Bobby said, "I'm so happy that you said yes. I can't wait to spend the rest of my life with you." The newly engaged couple happily held each other for a moment, then finally left the pier to return home.

Later that night, Rose laid down in her bed and held up her hand to admire her engagement ring. She could hardly believe she was engaged again. This time Rose was happy; the happiest she had ever been in her life. Unlike her engagement to Cal, Rose was looking forward to marrying Bobby and forming a life with him. As she drifted off to sleep, she knew Jack would be proud and happy for her; this was the perfect beginning of keeping her promise.

 _ **I'm finally back with a new chapter! School has been keeping me busy and doing nothing for inspiration. I had to make this a happy chapter for Rose! I already started the next chapter with Cal and his wife welcoming their newborn child. I'm still working on a few final touches; I have a good name in mind for Cal and Abby's baby, (they are having a boy, and I'm seriously having Cal name his son after a certain someone we all know and love from the movie). Hopefully I can update faster with the next chapter. Since I have been having trouble with writer's block; I'm feeling like the story is going be coming to a close soon. I might write another 2 or 3 chapters to close Cal and Rose's stories (I plan to conclude their stories close to canon; so prepare for waterworks! I hope that I can write them well.)**_


	18. Chapter 18

Ch. 18: A Family is Formed (Cal's POV)

April 1916

Cal couldn't believe again how time quickly goes by. It seemed like yesterday that he and Abby had gotten married and now their first child was due any day.

Cal couldn't help but love his beautiful wife. Abby was already beautiful, but it seemed that the pregnancy made her even more beautiful. Everyone commented how lovely Abby looked, although Abby would laugh and said she felt like a whale as her stomach kept growing. It was getting harder for her to move around the house, and she was glad she was in the final stages of her pregnancy.

Cal did his best to keep Abby comfortable; he made sure Nadine kept an eye on Abby, so she wouldn't overwork herself. In the mornings, Cal would help Abby get out of bed and he even helped her put on her slippers as it was getting hard for Abby to reach her feet. Abby loved how attentive Cal was being, but warned him to not go overboard. She still wanted some sense of independence.

The couple had gone through a lot of changes in a short time; after Ruth Dewitt-Bukator's visit and the revelation about what really happened on Titanic, the young couple had come to an agreement to be honest with each other. Abby promised to keep the story to herself, and she promised that she wouldn't tell Nathan that she knew the truth. She agreed to keep quiet since she didn't want to cause any more problems between the father and son. Cal and Nathan still butted heads on occasion; the older man still wasn't keen on letting go of his power. Cal, on the other hand, had grown into his new role taking over Hockley Steel. Cal had faced some resistance due to his past actions, but the workers were now beginning to admire and respect him. The workers finally could see that Cal was a changed man, and had become a very different person from his father.

The press immediately started writing about the couple as soon as Abby's pregnancy was noticeable. Abby did not really appreciate the intrusion, but luckily the reporters haven't been around lately as the attention started shifting more towards the Great War. Many Americans did not want to be dragged into the war, but the tide was shifting. Abby was just grateful that Cal was now considered too old for military service; Cal was still very youthful, but had started getting more gray hairs due to the stress of his job.

Abby thoroughly enjoyed doing all the preparations for the arrival of the baby. She turned the spare bedroom across from her and Cal's bedroom into a lovely nursery. Nadine happily agreed to help Abby with the baby, although Abby insisted she wanted to be the one mainly caring for her child. Abby prayed that she would have a safe delivery; her mother had nearly died giving birth to her brother, despite having a rather uncomplicated pregnancy. That was one of her worst fears; that she would die in childbirth and leave Cal all alone to raise their child.

It was a quiet night, and Cal had finally managed to get the crib set up in their bedroom. Cal had struggled piecing everything together, and finally had to call his manservant to help him. As Cal finally sat down on the bed next to her, Abby teasingly said to him, "Well, I'm glad that we finally got the crib set up in our room. It took you long enough."

Cal said, "It was not my fault! That infernal thing has way too many pieces." Abby joked and said, "You run a company; you are not a handyman. But I'm glad that you wanted to do fix the crib for the baby."

Cal smiled and said, "It was the least I could do; after all you are doing all the hard work." Abby said, "Yes; and don't you forget it. I'm happy that I'm having a child, but this child has done a number on my body. I can't wait till the baby is finally here!"

Cal noticed that Abby was rubbing her back and gently asked, "Darling, is your back bothering again?" Abby sighed and said, "Unfortunately yes. And my ankles feel swollen again. I could live without these symptoms of pregnancy." Cal gently turned towards Abby and softly began to massage her aching back and said, "I'm sorry you're feeling miserable. I wish I could take that pain away from you."

Abby was grateful for the massage and said, "At least I'm no longer having the morning sickness. That was awful!" Cal said, "God, yes. I hated seeing you so sick! I just don't like to see you suffer." Abby said, "Cal, this is only the beginning. I still have to go through the pain of giving birth." Cal said, "Abby, after our baby is born, do you want to have more children? We never got to really talk about when we wanted to start a family before all this happened."

Abby smiled and said, "For now, this child would be enough for me. But I'm not opposed to having more children; I would like to wait a while after this pregnancy. This one was quite the surprise, so I want to wait before expanding our family." Cal said, "I agree; we'll have to be careful since you did get pregnant so quickly." Abby laughed and said, "I know. But I don't regret this baby; I already love him or her very much."

Cal smiled and said, "If we have a girl, I hope she is as beautiful as you." Abby said, "I don't know why, but I feel that we are having a boy. I want him to look exactly like his father; with some of my looks thrown in." Cal laughed and said, "Boy or girl, I will be happy no matter what. All I want is a healthy child with you." Abby said, "I'm glad you feel that way. Nathan told me he really wants a grandson; he doesn't want a granddaughter yet. He feels that the firstborn should always be a boy. I told him that no matter what this child will be considered the first-born heir."

Cal said, "Ugh, I told my father not to bother you with that nonsense, but he keeps telling me that if this child is a girl, she better not be in line to be my successor in the company. I told him to shove it; if I end up with a daughter that has a knack for business and wants to join the company I'll let her. Times are changing, and I feel our company should go with the times."

Abby said, "What brought this on?" Cal said, "Actually it was Rose; Rose had wanted to go to university to expand her education, but I refused. I'm not going to do that to my daughter. I don't want my daughter to feel trapped, like Rose did."

Abby smiled and said, "Well, no matter what, this child is going to be loved. I'm glad you are not opposed to having a daughter. In the matters of education, I don't want to send our children off to boarding school. I rather have them at home; my mother sent me to finishing school in England, and although I loved it I missed home."

Cal said, "Well, there are plenty of great private schools here. I'm not opposed to sending our children to local schools. They deserve a quality education if they are going to attend Harvard one day." Abby laughed and said, "Let's not get ahead of ourselves. You just want our children to attend your alma mater." The couple laughed, and decided to turn in for the night.

Over the next several weeks, the house was finally ready to welcome the new baby. Abby was more than ready for the birth; she felt that her stomach had grown even bigger as she got closer to her due date. Cal had now begun taking shorter workdays so he could be at Abby's side once she went into labor. The doctor had told Abby that the pregnancy was coming along beautiful; he was more than confident that Abby was going to give birth to a healthy child. He warned her to take things easy, as he felt that she could give birth any day now.

The day that Abby finally went into labor started out normal. Cal had helped her get out of bed, and they ate breakfast together before he headed off to work. Abby had complained that her lower back was bothering her, but shrugged it off. Cal was concerned, but Abby did promise that she would keep an eye on the pain. Nadine promised that if anything changed, that she would notify Cal and the doctor.

Abby decided to sit in the living room and do some reading, but as she sat on the sofa the pain in her back slowly began to intensify. She was feeling odd; she just couldn't get comfortable. By the late afternoon, Nadine saw that the young woman appeared to be quite uncomfortable, and started to think that her mistress could be in the beginning stages of labor. Abby insisted that she was okay, but Nadine insisted that she should go lie down.

Abby decided not to argue, and began her way up the stairs to her bedroom. Suddenly Abby stopped in her tracks; her pains had intensified, and she felt her water break. Nadine had been discreetly following her mistress and heard Abby's gasp of pain, and immediately ran to her side. The young maid quickly helped Abby into bed, and rushed off to call the doctor and Cal.

Within the hour, both Cal and the doctor arrived. The doctor and his midwife immediately took over; Cal wanted to stay by Abby's side, but the midwife quickly told him no! The midwife was shocked as most men did not stay in the room while their wives gave birth. Abby was touched, but she didn't want Cal to see her in that much pain. She wished her mother was there; but then Cal asked if his mother could keep Abby company during the birth. The doctor and the midwife agreed, so Cal went to call Elizabeth.

Elizabeth Hockley quickly agreed to be Abby's support, and rushed off to her son's home. Elizabeth arrived to find a rather nervous Cal pacing in the living room. Elizabeth couldn't help but let out a small chuckle as she said, "Cal, calm down. Abby is going to be fine… I swear I did not expect you to be acting this way."

Cal said, "Very funny Mother; I'm glad that you are here. I wanted to stay with Abby, but the doctor and midwife kicked me out of the room." Elizabeth said, "Cal, you are already nervous. A nervous father is no help while their wife is giving birth. Usually the woman has her mother by her side, but Francine is in Boston. I'm so glad that you called me; I was not going to leave poor Abby all alone. Cal, I promise I will stay by Abby's side until that precious baby is finally born." Cal managed to give his mother a warm smile and said, "Thank you Mother; I know I'll feel better knowing that you are the one with Abby while she gives birth." Elizabeth gave her son a hug, and then made her way upstairs to be at her daughter-in-law's side.

Several hours passed, and Cal only grew anxious as he heard Abby's pained moans and screams as the labor progressed. He could only pray that his wife and child were okay, and was hoping to hear the baby's cries instead of his wife in extreme pain. Finally, he heard one final cry from Abby, and then heard a distinct baby's cry! He was overjoyed… their baby was finally here! He was about to head upstairs, when his mother came down to talk to him.

Cal said, "I heard the baby crying. How is Abby and the baby?" Elizabeth smiled and said, "Abby is exhausted, but doing beautifully. She gave birth to a beautiful baby boy! Cal, you have a son! Congratulations!" Cal couldn't help his smile as he said, "I have a son; I can't believe I'm now a father."

Elizabeth said, "It was a rough labor for Abby, so she might be sleeping. But go see your wife and son." Cal didn't need to be told twice, and immediately headed to his bedroom to see his wife and newborn son.

He knocked on the door, and was met by the doctor. The doctor smiled and said, "Come on in, Mr. Hockley. We just finished cleaning everything up, and the mother and baby are resting." Cal said, "So they are both fine." The midwife smiled and said, "Yes, Mr. Hockley. Abby did have a rather tiring delivery, but with some rest she'll be fine. Congratulations on your son; he's a strong, healthy boy."

Cal smiled when he heard his wife's tired voice say, "He's a Hockley; he's going to be strong and stubborn like his father." Cal quickly went to Abby's side, and the doctor said, "Well, Mr. and Mrs. Hockley, congratulations on your newborn son. I'll be back tomorrow to check on the mother and baby, but don't be afraid to call me if anything changes."

The couple nodded, while the doctor and midwife proceeded to leave the room. Abby smiled and said, "Cal, go see your son." Cal said, "Are you sure? Don't you want to hold him?" Abby laughed and said, "Cal, I already held him. I can't believe how precious he is; wait till you see him. There is no denying that he is a Hockley." Cal made his way to the crib, and finally got to see his son. The baby boy was fast asleep, but there was no denying that child was his. He did see that his son had inherited his mother's shade of brown hair, and was curious to see what other features the baby had inherited. Cal gently took the baby out of the crib; pleased that the baby didn't stir. Cal was overcome with love for his child; he still couldn't believe that he was now a father.

He then went back to the bed, where Abby had managed to make herself more comfortable. Cal said, "You were right, darling. He's adorable… god I can't believe that this is our son." Abby said, "I know… I wish he had inherited more from me… he inherited my shade of brown hair and my eyes. He's like a miniature you." Cal laughed and said, "Well then, hopefully when we have a daughter she will look like you."

Abby said, "He's barely been born, but I already adore this little boy. He needs a good name." Cal said, "Definitely. I've been giving it a lot of thought. The tradition in my family is that the first-born male's middle name is the same as his father's name, which is why my middle name is Nathan." Abby smiled and said, "I like that, but what about his first name?"

Suddenly the name came to Cal. Cal said, "Actually I'd like to name him Jackson Caledon Hockley. We can call him Jack for short." Abby gasped in surprise and said, "Are you sure? That means that your son's nickname would be same as the man who was your rival. I thought you hated Jack Dawson." Cal said, "Even though Jack and I were rivals, he was a good man. I think we could have been friends, if we hadn't been in love with the same woman. I don't know why, but I feel like I need to honor the man for loving Rose in a way I couldn't." Abby smiled and said, "You know, he does look like a Jack. The name suits him perfectly."

Jackson Caledon Hockley was born on April 25, 1916, and quickly become the light of the Hockley household. Cal knew that it was the right name for his son… it meant that he had not only forgiven Jack, but that he had fully made peace with his past. Abby was proud of Cal; she knew that Cal's past had weighed heavily on his soul, but with the birth of their son Cal was finally able to let go of all that pain and regret. The first weeks were rough for the young couple, but they quickly adjusted to being new parents. Cal was amazed seeing his wife as a mother; Abby quickly took to motherhood, and Cal loved seeing her interact with Baby Jack. Cal did his best to help his wife with the baby whenever he was home, which Abby greatly appreciated.

Abby also loved seeing Cal as a father; it brought out a softer, kinder side to him that she had never seen before. One evening Cal had offered to watch the baby while she did some work in the office. She returned to the bedroom, to find Cal and the baby sound asleep in the recliner. Abby smiled seeing the two together; it was a sweet moment seeing her husband and baby that way.

Cal hadn't been this happy in a long time; it felt like his life had finally gotten in order. He still felt that he didn't deserve to be this happy; he could only hope that his happiness would last for a long time.


	19. Chapter 19

Ch. 19: A Long Time Coming (Rose's POV)

1920

After the engagement, Rose and Bobby began to save for their wedding. Rose wanted a simple wedding; not only due to their limited funds, but she hated all the fuss that her mother made during her engagement to Cal. Rose was thrilled to be planning a wedding to her liking, and was more than excited this time around. Bobby and Rose planned to marry within the next year, when the unthinkable happened.

America finally entered the Great War in April 1917, and began conscripting young men into service. Soon enough, Bobby received his notice to report to training. It made Bobby sick to his stomach; he had just turned 26 years old and never thought that he would be drafted into the military. Bobby still had a sense of duty, and knew he would have to tell his fiancé the heartbreaking news.

Rose cried when she found out the news. It broke Bobby's heart seeing Rose cry like that. He didn't want to leave Rose or postpone their wedding, but the young couple had no choice. He seriously wanted to marry Rose right away, but Rose quickly said she would wait for him. She knew he was already anxious leaving a fiancé behind; she could only imagine how he would be if they were married. Rose's main wish was for Bobby to return from the war safely. She did not want to lose him like she lost Jack; she felt her heart wouldn't be able to handle losing another loved one.

Rose kept strong for Bobby, but nearly broke down again when she had to say goodbye to him as he left for basic training. Bobby was in training for several months, and would call Rose at his parents' home once a week until his unit was shipped overseas. Bobby spent the entire year of 1918 overseas at war, and it was hard on Rose and his parents. Bobby kept in touch with his loved ones through letters, which helped ease their worries. Bobby faced some close calls, and saw several good friends die by his side during the war. Bobby was more than thankful when the Allies defeated Germany in November 1918; grateful that the horrible war was coming to an end.

Rose tried to live her life normally while Bobby was away at war. She was grateful for every letter that she got from Bobby, since it meant that he was still alive. She was so happy when she got the letter that Bobby was finally coming home. Bobby also told the news that he would be able to be honorably discharged; meaning that he would be able to return to his normal life as soon as possible.

It took some time, but Bobby finally returned home by January 1919. Bobby had a joyous reunion with his loved ones, and was more than happy to be home. Rose and Bobby were more than ready to get married, but decided to wait until they had time to readjust.

Bobby returned to his job at the newspaper; he felt strange after being a solider for so long, but he was happy to return to normal. He saw awful things in the war, and it made him realize how precious life is. He could now relate to Rose on a deeper level; both went through traumatic experiences and survived to tell their stories. Rose had told him her most vivid memory of the sinking was how the screams of the dying were so loud and eerily faded away as the sea claimed them. Bobby at first didn't want to talk about what he went through in war, but Rose told him it wasn't healthy to bottle it up.

Rose felt like she was a bit of a hypocrite, since she never told Bobby about Jack. But she realized that after she finally told Bobby about Titanic is when she finally started to heal. Bobby finally did talk to Rose about his wartime experience, and did start to forgive himself. Rose was more than happy to listen; he had helped her so much when she had needed to talk and was happy to return the favor.

After that Bobby and Rose put their wedding plans back on track. They opted for a small wedding; they only wanted their closest friends and family there. Bobby still felt guilty that Rose was not going to have any close family at their wedding, but it didn't faze Rose one bit. Sadly, Rose found out that her mother had died of influenza in November 1918; even though Rose never had a close relationship with Ruth, she still felt awful when she found out her mother was dead. Rose sometimes wished she would have made peace with her mother, but she was realistic that any reunion with Ruth would not have worked out. She was surprised when she read that Cal and his family had attended her mother's funeral, and that Cal had continued to support Ruth until her death. Rose was grateful that Cal didn't leave her mother out on the streets… deep down she knew there was a decent side to Cal, but to her it still did not make up for how he acted on the night of the sinking. She may have forgiven Cal, but a part of her still hated him. She supposed a part of her would always resent Cal for surviving while Jack died.

Rose and Bobby set a new wedding date, and decided to marry on April 14, 1920. Bobby was surprised that Rose wanted to marry on the anniversary of Titanic's sinking, but she replied that she no longer wanted to associate that day with sadness. Rose corrected Bobby saying April 14 is when the ship struck the iceberg, and didn't sink until the early morning of April 15. She decided that April 14 would be a day to celebrate her happiness, and April 15 would be a day that she could privately mourn for Jack.

The wedding day quickly arrived. The couple decided to have their wedding at a small church nearby the pier, and later have a small reception at the Calvert's home. Rose was so nervous… she was going through so many different emotions. She was happy, but at the same time she felt scared. She was beginning a new chapter in her life, and wasn't sure what to think. She knew she loved Bobby, but deep down she knew that a piece of her heart still belonged to Jack. She secretly wondered if she had the right to be happy after losing the love of her life. She then laughed at herself… she was being ridiculous. She knew that Jack would not want her to be alone for the rest of her life.

Rose knew that if things had been different, Jack would be the man that she would be marrying. Even though she had known him for only three days, he sure left his mark on her heart. But if she had never met Jack, she never would have known what a real love was like. She would still be stuck in that gilded cage, and married to Cal! Jack taught her how to love, and gave her the courage to live a happy life. She felt in her heart that her marriage to Bobby was going to be a happy and loving marriage.

It was a beautiful day, as Rose looked up to the heavens. As she made her way to the church entrance, she smiled as she felt a slight wind softly blow through her hair. Like Jack was wishing her nothing but the best. Her soon to be father-in-law, Richard, walked up to her and gently grabbed Rose's arm and said, "Well, Rose, darling, are you ready for this?" Rose smiled and said, "I'm a little nervous, but I think I am ready for this." Richard said, "I'm so happy for you both, Rose. This really has been a long time coming for you and my son. Promise me that you two will take care of each other; I want you two to be as happy as Lillian and I have been throughout our marriage." Rose chuckled and said, "That is a promise that I intend to keep."

Richard Calvert happily walked Rose down the aisle to his waiting son. He saw the look of love and happiness in Bobby's eyes as Rose made her way down the aisle. When Bobby lifted Rose's veil, Richard could see that same look of love and happiness in Rose's eyes as well.

The happy couple couldn't keep their eyes off each other throughout the wedding ceremony; like they still couldn't believe that they were getting married.

With all the love in his heart Bobby said his vows, "I, Robert, take you, Rose, to be my lawfully wedded wife. To have and to hold, from this day forward. For better, for worse, for richer, for poorer. In sickness and in health. To love and to cherish all the days of my life, until death do us part." He could feel Rose tremble with happiness as he placed the wedding band on her hand.

Rose was tearing up, and couldn't hide the emotion in her voice as she said her vows, "I, Rose, take you, Robert, to be my lawfully wedded husband. To have and to hold, from this day forward. For better, for worse, for richer, for poorer. In sickness and in health. To love and to cherish all the days of my life, until death do us part."

Afterwards, the priest declared them husband and wife. Bobby happily kissed his bride, and the newlyweds made their way down the aisle.

The small wedding reception was full of family and friends. It truly was a happy day for Rose and Bobby. Bobby gently took his new wife aside, so they could have a moment alone. Rose was content… this truly had been the happiest day of her life.

Bobby gave Rose a gentle kiss and said, "Rose, this has been the happiest day of my life. I can hardly believe we are married now!" Rose smiled and said, "I know… this has been a long time coming for us. But I feel that it was worth the wait." Bobby said, "Yes, it was. Rose, thank you for being so patient with me. I know I wasn't the easiest person to be with when I came home from the war."

Rose said, "Bobby… thank you for being so patient with me. I appreciate that you waited for me when I was the one that had to deal with my own personal demons." Bobby said, "I would have waited forever for you Rose…. I'm just glad you gave me a chance. I love you… so now that we're married, what do you want next for our life?" Rose smiled and pulled her new husband into a passionate kiss, "I just want a lifetime of happiness with you… maybe even a family one day." Bobby laughed and said, "Sounds perfect… Mrs. Calvert." Rose pulled away laughing and said, "Hey, that's Mrs. Dawson-Calvert to you." Bobby couldn't help laughing as he said, "Dawson-Calvert, eh? Sounds so first-class, Rose." Rose smiled at the joke and said, "Well, I just can't seem to stay away from having a hyphenated last name. How about you just shut up, and kiss me?" Bobby then pulled Rose closer to him, and obliged.

Later that night, as Rose laid in bed with her husband's arms wrapped her, she could hardly believe that she was now a married woman. Their wedding night was perfect, and Rose truly felt loved and safe with her husband. She began to wonder if Jack had sent Bobby to her; she secretly wondered if that dream she had of Jack all those years ago was his way of telling her that Bobby was going to be the man that she was going to marry. As Rose fell asleep, she knew she had finally kept her promise to Jack and was looking forward to the future. She could see her and Bobby having children, and growing old together. A lifetime of love and happiness was the perfect way to honor Jack, and she couldn't wait for the rest of her life to begin.

 _ **I couldn't believe that I managed to finish these two chapters! They were hard to write... but I hope that everyone enjoys them. I'm fixing to start writing the last two chapters... Cal's story will end in the next one and it might take me a while for that one since it going to be an emotional one. The final chapter will close Rose's story. I feel the last two chapters will be so hard to write, but hopefully I can end it in a way that stays true to the characters.**_


	20. Chapter 20

Ch. 20: A Tragic Ending (Cal's POV)

November 1929

Cal sat alone in the dark in his office… his depression overwhelming him. His thoughts came to his family; how would they survive the loss of the family fortune? Cal sadly looked around and felt like such a failure; after so many years of happiness, the charmed life that he and his family had been used to was coming to an end.

Cal felt that his good luck had finally run out; maybe everything that happened recently was a form of karma catching up with him. It was a cruel twist of fate, but a cruel twist that Cal felt he deserved for his past sins.

Up until recently, Cal felt that his life had gotten on track. After the birth of Jack in 1916, Abby and Cal welcomed a daughter in October 1918; a beautiful little girl who they named Catherine Rose. With addition of Catherine Rose, Cal and Abby felt that their family was now complete.

1918 wasn't without some sorrow. That November Ruth Dewitt-Bukator died of influenza… out of respect for Rose, Cal buried the poor woman. It was a sad moment for Cal, realizing that Rose and her entire family was gone. He hoped that in death that Ruth would be finally reunited with her husband and daughter.

A year later, Nathan Hockley died of a heart attack and Cal inherited the rest of his family fortune. Cal was sad that his father was gone, but he was more worried about his mother. Elizabeth Hockley was devastated by her husband's death, so Cal and Abby ended up inviting his mother to live with them. Cal couldn't bear his mother being all alone and was happy when she agreed to stay at his home.

Cal's business continued to prosper; one of many companies that prospered during the Great War and the "Roaring Twenties". Cal felt like he was the luckiest man in the world; not only did he have the money and power, he had the love of his wife and children. He never dreamed that one day everything would change.

His children had grown so much… Jack was now thirteen, while Catherine had just turned eleven. Jack was turning into a fine, young man. Jack may have taken after his father in looks, but his personality was a perfect mixture of Cal and Abby. Catherine was a younger version of her mother; which Cal was grateful for. His wife and children were Cal's whole world… which is why he felt that he failed them.

On October 29, 1929 the American Stock Market crashed, marking the beginning of the Great Depression. The consequences of the crash were disastrous, affecting both the wealthy and the poor. The Stock Market Crash happened almost two weeks after Catherine's birthday… Cal sensed something major was going to happen after reading about the crash in London, but he never dreamed that his fortune was going to take a major hit.

Overnight, Cal's fortune was hit hard. His massive fortune was now down to almost nothing… he would no longer be able to support his business or his family. The heavy losses deeply affected Cal and launched him into an ugly depression. A depression that was far worse than the depression he had gone through when he lost Rose.

Cal didn't know what he was going to do… it was beginning to be too much for him. He was now as penniless as Jack Dawson; he no longer had a way to provide for his family, despite his wife's insistence that they will fight through this. But Cal knew that he would be a burden on his family… he knew without the money he was nothing. There was no more fight in him… he figured his family would be better off without him.

Abby was worried about Cal and she prayed Cal wouldn't do anything drastic. She had read of several millionaires who lost their fortune in the crash had killed themselves, and Cal was beginning to scare her with his depression. Even though their money was gone, the Dawson family had survived the crash. Abby's parents were hit hard, but still had a large amount of their fortune intact. The Dawson family would be able to rebuild, and Abby's father had saved enough money to get through any rough times. William Dawson had talked to Cal and knew the full extent of the damage. He told Cal that he would help them…. he wouldn't be able to invest any more money to save the business, but he offered his home to them.

Luckily Abby's design commissions had been bringing a small amount of money to keep the family afloat, but Cal knew that money wouldn't last forever. Cal secretly updated his will that the remainder of the money would go to Abby and the children, and he decided for his family to move to Boston.

Abby knew that it was painful for Cal to accept his father-in-law's offer to live with them, but at least they wouldn't be homeless. Cal tried to hide the damage to their fortune, but Abby forced him to tell her everything. Abby knew how dire their situation was and was grateful for her family's help. Abby hoped in Boston that things would turn around.

Cal knew that his family would be cared for by his in-laws and was grateful for that. He sadly looked at the photo of his family on his desk and placed the frame face down. He started to think about the past… feeling guilty on how he treated people, especially Jack and Rose. He truly was lucky the night of the sinking; he should have died, not Jack and Rose. He should have let Rose go and let her be happy with the man she fell in love with. Instead he let his jealously take over, and in a cruel twist he lost the woman he claimed he loved. In a way, he deserved what happened to him. He just wished his bad luck hadn't also affected his family. They were innocent… they didn't deserve this.

Cal opened the desk drawer to reveal a silver pistol. After the crash, Cal thought that he could be strong enough to endure the stress of losing everything. He was dead wrong… his depression continued to claw at him, until it broken him down into the shell of a man that he was now. He was a failure who didn't deserve to live any longer.

Abby had just come home from the bank with a heavy heart… they were going to lose their beloved home. She tried to hold on to the silver lining that they were not going to be out on the streets since they were heading to Boston within the next few weeks. But it was still painful that they were going to lose the home they had lived in for so many years. Abby was struggling to hold back her tears, when she heard the awful sound of a gunshot echo throughout the house.

Abby felt her heart stop dead in her chest; especially since she knew that noise most likely came from the office. She ran to Cal's office to find the awful sight of her husband… dead from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. Abby screamed and broke into tears… the love of her life had killed himself, leaving her all alone to pick up the broken pieces. Tears of anger and grief flowed… she was angry at Cal for doing this! She felt guilty that she didn't do more to help her husband through his depression; feeling that she could have done something to prevent this tragedy. Most of all she cried for her children, who had adored their father and would mourn his loss. Abby found Cal's farewell note, and she cried even harder when she read it.

Cal had written, _"Abby, I am so sorry for everything. I can only imagine the pain and anguish you must be going through. Believe me how I wish that things could have worked out differently. I truly am sorry for leaving you, Jack, and Catherine all alone. Ever since the loss of our fortune, I have felt like a failure. I don't know how to live without the money, nor do I have any idea of what else I could do to support my family. I would only drag you and the children down. You are stronger than you know… I have faith that you and the children will survive without me. Raise them well… I know they will grow into fine adults without my influence. Please let Jack and Catherine know how much I loved them… tell them that what I've done has nothing to do with them.  
Abby, I want you to know that I'm thankful for the wonderful life we shared together. It's hard to believe that at one point, I felt that I never could fall in love again after losing Rose. You opened my heart in so many ways and changed me for the better. I only wish that our love could have been able to overcome this. I hope that you and the children will use that fresh start in Boston… I hope that you will find happiness again.  
Love always, Cal" _

Abby stayed by her husband's side crying, until Nadine and a police officer gently led the young widow to her room to rest. Jack and Catherine came home from school to find the police there, and Nadine quickly ushered the children to their mother's room. Abby's heart broke again having to tell her children that their father was dead and did her best to console them.

Cal's death was declared a suicide, and his death was highly publicized in the press. Abby did her best to hold her family together and held a private funeral for her husband. The funeral was a solemn one… while Abby managed to keep her composure in public, she had broken down in the privacy of her bedroom. She prayed that Cal was at peace, and that she would be able to rebuild her life once her and the children moved to Boston.

Eventually as time went on, Abby and her children lived a good life in Boston. Cal's death continued to haunt his family though, but Abby decided to focus on the good memories. Abby never remarried, but she continued her fashion design career and did her best as a single parent. Jack grew into a fine, young man and eventually became a lawyer. Catherine Rose also grew into a beautiful, young lady and followed in her mother's footsteps and became a designer. The relationship between Jack and Catherine soured when they became of age to inherit the last of their father's money… it was a nasty battle for control, and it took a very upset Abby to make her children come to their senses. To please their mother, Jack and Catherine came to an agreement and started to work on rebuilding their relationship. Jack and Catherine worked as a team, and eventually they slowly rebuilt their family fortune. The Hockley family was never able to regain most of their lost wealth, but they were able to live comfortably for the rest of their days.

 _Cal knew the moment when he pulled the trigger that he was dead… he literally felt his soul leave his body. He felt that he was floating, and suddenly felt as if he was underwater. He saw a bright light, and immediately thought that he was heading into the afterlife. Suddenly he was onboard a ship… a very familiar ship! Cal realized he was back on Titanic, and noticed that he had taken on his 30-year-old appearance! He realized that he was walking through the first-class entrance towards the Grand Staircase. As he walked through the entrance, Cal quickly realized that he wasn't alone… there was someone waiting for him at the top of the staircase._

 _The person that was waiting had his back turned, but Cal quickly recognized who it was. That posture, the simple third-class clothing, and that dirty blonde hair… Cal knew it had to be Jack Dawson!_

 _Jack turned around and said, "I bet I was the last person you expected to greet you here." Cal couldn't hold back his surprise and said, "I am surprised to see you… am I in heaven or in hell? What are you doing here?" Jack replied, "You are not in heaven or hell, Cal. Titanic is a gateway between heaven and hell, especially for the people who died that night and for those who survived."_

 _Cal was surprised hearing that and asked, "Then what are you doing here Jack? You were a good person, or at least a better person than I was. You should be in heaven… with Rose." Jack simply laughed and said, "Oh, believe me, Cal. I've been there. I was asked to come back… to make this transition easier on you. We may have been rivals in life, but I never wished for you to die like this."_

 _Cal said, "Really? Despite everything I did to you and Rose?" Jack sighed and said, "Cal, despite everything, I never hated you. If we hadn't been in love with the same woman, maybe we could have been friends. In fact, I had forgiven you a long time ago."_

 _Cal said, "I'm glad. You haven't changed a bit Jack… still the same as the last time I saw you." Jack said, "What'd you expect… that I'd age here? No… I'll always be 20 years old. I'm surprised you took on your 30-year old self… I know you were 49 when you died." Cal said, "I probably took on this form since this is who I was when I was onboard Titanic. But I'm glad that the lessons I learned over the years are still intact… I grew to hate the person I was when I was on Titanic."_

 _Jack said, "I know… you changed. If you had truly took on the traits of your 30-year old self, you wouldn't be so civil with me. Trust me… I know you hated me for a while. It took losing Rose and your wife's love to change you."_

 _Cal said, "My darling Abby… I can only imagine how she and our children are suffering. I loved them so much. I didn't deserve them… not after everything I've done. I thought I had forgiven myself for my past, but it all came to a head once we lost our fortune."_

 _Jack said, "Cal, you had made a lot of progress… you let love transform you into someone better, and learned forgiveness. But you never truly forgave yourself… that was your downfall, I believe. I guess that's because you never got closure with Rose and with me."_

 _Cal said, "You're right. Jack, the night of the sinking, I was downright jealous of you. I hated the fact that you had fallen in love with Rose, but I think what hurt me the most was that Rose loved you back."_

 _Jack sighed and said, "It probably didn't help that you found my drawing of Rose… I still can't believe you were jealous of me. I was just a poor artist, while you were the wealthy tycoon."_

 _Cal said, "Jack, you may not believe me, but I did love her. I did everything I could to try to get her to fall in love with me. Then she met you… I asked myself every day what did she see in you? How did she manage to fall in love with someone she only knew for a few short days?"_

 _Jack said, "I asked myself the same thing… she had a secure future with you, but she was willing to walk away because she fell in love with me. It was fast and intense, but it was the greatest love I had ever known. I wanted a life with her, but it wasn't meant to be."_

 _Cal said, "I should have let Rose go… if I had maybe you two would have had a future together." Jack said, "Cal, I was meant to die that night. It was my time… I was only meant to show Rose how a real love was supposed to be. I don't regret giving up my life for her."_

 _Cal said, "What do you mean by that? Rose died with you that night… didn't she?" Jack gave a sad smile and said, "Cal… Rose is alive. She survived because I sacrificed myself to save her."_

 _Cal was shocked and said, "How? I never found her on the Carpathia. And I searched everywhere for her." Jack said, "Cal… she hid from you. Rose saw you searching for her, and quickly shielded her face. She didn't want to go back to you, or that life that she found so suffocating. She took my last name… she became Rose Dawson."_

 _Cal still couldn't believe that Rose was alive and well; he had spent so many years hurting thinking that he was responsible for her death. But to his amazement, Cal understood why Rose hid from him onboard the Carpathia. Cal was also curious on how Jack's death helped ensure Rose's survival._

 _Cal said, "I should have known… I remember looking for your name on the survivor's list, and only found a woman's name under Dawson. Jack, what happened after you and Rose ran away from me?"_

 _Jack said, "Rose and I kept running into Titanic's lower decks. We nearly drowned but managed to escape. We went through hell and back to get back onto the boat deck. There were no more lifeboats, so we made our way to the stern. We were on the ship until its final moments. We ended up riding the stern into the cold waters… the suction separated us, but I managed to find her and saved her from a panicked man that nearly drowned her. I found a floating door, but when we both tried to climb on it the damn thing nearly collapsed under our weight. In that instant, I knew that door would only fit one of us. I made the hard choice… I put Rose on the door and stayed in the freezing water. I died holding her hand, but not before I made her promise to go on with her life."_

 _Cal said, "My god… poor Rose. Why didn't you try harder? There could have been a way for both of you to survive." Jack said, "I loved her… I wanted her to survive. I didn't give a damn of what happened to me; I just wanted her to be safe."_

 _Cal sighed and said, "You truly did love her… I don't think I could've have made the sacrifice you did. Tell me… did Rose keep her promise to you?"_

 _Cal saw a bright smile form on Jack's face and had hope that Rose did go on to have a good life. Jack said, "Yes, she did. It took her a while, but Rose is living a good life. She met a man named Robert Calvert a year after the sinking, and she eventually married him several years later. She was a bit scared to fall in love again; I had to appear in her dreams to reassure her that it was okay to move on with her life. She's living a life of freedom and adventure; something that she thought she would never have. She has settled down now though… she's now a mother to two beautiful children."_

 _Cal smiled and was happy to hear that Rose was living a happy life. He wished he could have been the one to make her happy, but he had no regrets about his marriage to Abby. Even though he had loved Rose, Cal finally realized that they were not meant for each other. Cal said, "I'm glad to hear that. Rose deserved that happy life after everything she went through. I would have only made her miserable. It took me a while to realize that."_

 _Jack said, "It almost didn't happen… for a while Rose felt that she would never fall in love again after me. She loves Bobby now, but I know that a part of her is still in love with me. I suppose that's why I'm going to be one to greet her when it's her time. The only thing is we won't be reunited until she is 100 years old."_

 _Cal said, "She is going to live a long life… are you sure you can wait that long?" Jack said, "I would wait forever for her. Rose was meant to do something with her life, and she is happy… but I feel she won't be at peace until she shares our story." Cal said, "You mean to tell me that she hasn't confided with anyone about her experience on Titanic. I thought she would at least tell her husband."_

 _Jack sighed and said, "Rose feels that my memory is better off between us. She doesn't want to make her husband feel like he is competing with a ghost, especially now that they have children. He knows that she survived Titanic, but he also knows that she hasn't told him the whole story. He's understanding though; he knows how painful the whole situation was for her. I feel he would understand, but I can't force her to tell our story. That's something she has to do on her own."_

 _Cal said, "It took me a while, but I did talk to Abby about what happened on Titanic. It felt like a huge burden was lifted, and she was so understanding. I was a bit worried she would hate me, and she was pregnant with our son at the time. I feared I would lose my family if I had told her, but she forgave me. She didn't judge me, and to my surprise she didn't hate you or Rose. She's the one who helped me realize that the person I was wasn't meant for Rose."_

 _Jack said, "You're lucky that you found someone that loved you… Abby really did help you. She helped you become a better person. I was happy for you; it made it easier for me to forgive you. Although, I still can't believe you named your son after me. Why did you do that?"_

 _Cal said, "I named my son after you because I finally stopped blaming you for everything, and it was my way of forgiving you and honoring you for loving and protecting Rose." Jack was touched and said, "I'm honored. I never thought you would do that."_

 _Jack and Cal continued to talk, and Cal realized how wrong he was to consider Jack an enemy. He started to see why Rose had fallen in love with Jack and was now grateful that in death he could call his former rival a friend. Jack was able to show Cal images of Rose, and he could see how Rose had changed over time and that she was living the life she was meant to live. Jack also showed Cal images of his family mourning him, but slowly rebuilding their lives in Boston. Seeing that his family was okay and making peace with Jack, Cal finally found the closure and peace he was never able to fully have during his life. Cal felt a wave of forgiveness and peace wash over him, and he followed Jack into heaven. In heaven, Cal was forgiven, and he happily waited for the day when he would be reunited with his loved ones._

 _ **This was a whopper of a chapter! It was so hard to write, but I hope I gave Cal a fitting ending. I wanted it to be as close to canon as possible, but I also wanted to write what I think happened to him after he died. Cal was a hard character to write... I loved and hated him in the movie, but I could see that he did care for Rose. I hope this will be a satisfying conclusion to his character.**_

 _ **Rose's final chapter is now complete, and I will be posting it soon. I'm proofreading it right now. Until next time :)**_


	21. Chapter 21

Ch. 21: A Promise Kept (Rose's POV)

1996

Rose Dawson-Calvert could hardly believe that she's lived such a long life. Rose was now one hundred years old; fixing to turn 101 the next month. Rose was no longer the young woman she once was, but her mind was still as sharp as ever.

Rose was proud of how her life turned out; she married a wonderful man and gave birth to two beautiful children during their early years of marriage. Rose was blessed with a son and a daughter, Andrew Jack and Lily Josephine Calvert. Andrew was born in December 1922, and Lily was born in April 1925. Rose was considered an "older" mother since she had her children in her late 20's, which didn't bother her one bit. Rose was glad she had her children later in life, and felt she was able to be a much more responsible parent to them. And she was grateful she had Bobby at her side… Bobby was not only an amazing husband, but a wonderful father. Every time she saw Bobby with their children, she couldn't help but smile… she would always say a quick thanks to Jack for helping her to have this happy life.

Rose and Bobby did indeed have a long and happy marriage… of course they had their moments but would always find a way to work things out. They were considered an adventurous couple, and they traveled the world together… taking many photographs that would become so special to Rose. Most of the photos were of Rose (since Bobby was always the one usually taking the pictures), but it showed that the couple lived a life with freedom and adventure.

Bobby and Rose had lived in Cedar Rapids, Wisconsin during their early years. Bobby had gotten an offer to run the local newspaper there, and Bobby couldn't refuse. His parents had moved back to Wisconsin to be closer to his grandparents, and by then Rose had become pregnant with Andrew so the young couple decided to settle down there for a while.

After the children were somewhat older, Rose and Bobby were missing California. They returned to California in 1935 and returned to Santa Monica for a while. Eventually Bobby started his own photography business, which he would run until his retirement. Rose had worked as an actress in the 20s but had slowed down with her pregnancies. Once they had moved back to California, Rose was too focused on her family to return to an acting career. Rose was still determined to make every day count… she found joy in her hobbies; she learned how to make pottery, fly a plane, and even fish! Rose also would help Bobby with his photography business; she pretty much ran the business side while Bobby handled the cameras. Bobby didn't mind… he loved that his wife was intelligent enough to help him with his business.

Rose felt lucky that she had built a loving relationship with her children… she didn't want Andrew and Lily to have the controlling type of childhood that she had. Although Rose had loved her parents, she always wished they could have had a warm and loving relationship. Rose always encouraged Andrew and Lily to follow their dreams; she made sure to listen and give them good advice when they needed it.

Rose's life when through some turmoil when Andrew decided to join the military after the attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941. Rose had thrown a fit because Andrew was only 19 years old at the time and didn't want anything to happen to him. It took both Bobby and Andrew to calm her down, and it made her realize that her son had grown into an honorable young man. Andrew was injured during the war but was able to make a full recovery. He became a teacher, eventually becoming the principal at the school he worked at. Andrew ended up marrying the nurse that cared for him at the hospital, and they ended up having 4 children.

Lily was almost exactly like Rose… she had her mother's love for life, but also inherited her stubbornness. The Calvert men knew well not to interfere whenever Rose and Lily were arguing, but the mother and daughter never stayed angry at each other for very long. Lily would become a nurse, and she ended up marrying a doctor that she met at the hospital she worked at. Lily and her husband ended up having 3 children.

After their retirements, Rose and Bobby settled in Ojai, California. They allowed themselves to slow down and just enjoy their retirement and their grandchildren. Rose would be known as Nana to her grandkids, while Bobby was just Grandpa or "Pa" to the little ones. Rose enjoyed being a grandma, and Bobby joked all the time that the kids were making him feel old whenever the family grew.

Rose and Bobby were married for 67 years when Bobby passed away in 1987. Bobby was 95 years old and had died peacefully with his family by his side. Rose felt awful losing her husband, but she was grateful that she got to say a proper goodbye to him… she never got that with Jack since she lost him so suddenly. Life continued, and Rose continued to stay active despite being in her nineties.

As Rose grew older, Andrew and Lily started becoming concerned about their aging mother living on her own, and Rose refused to enter a nursing home. Luckily Rose's youngest granddaughter Lizzie came up with a solution… Lizzie knew her nana needed someone to help her around the house and offered to become Rose's caretaker. Lizzie loved her Nana Rose and was more than happy to help take of her. Lizzie felt it was a good arrangement… Lizzie had just gone through a heart-breaking divorce, so she didn't want to be all alone. Rose happily agreed to the arrangement, and Lizzie moved into Rose's house.

The two women became thick as thieves, and Lizzie was grateful that she was getting this time with her nana. Lizzie was amazed that her elderly nana still had a youthful spark to her, and she loved hearing the family history from Rose. But Lizzie noticed that her nana would shy away whenever she was asked about her youth… especially when it came to Nana's side of the family. Rose would quickly change the subject… her own children never knew that their mother was a former first-class beauty that survived one of the deadliest disasters in maritime history. Despite that Rose had been able to rebuild her life after Titanic, the memories continued to haunt her throughout her long life.

It was an ordinary day at home. Rose was working at her pottery wheel, while Lizzie was in the kitchen. The TV was on, and Rose got up when she thought she heard the news anchor mention the Titanic. She grabbed her cane, and asked Lizzie to turn up the volume on the TV. The news anchor was talking to a man named Brock Lovett, who was apparently leading a controversial expedition to the Titanic. When the news anchor mentioned that many were calling Mr. Lovett a grave robber, he made a reference to King Tut's tomb and that he and his team were working hard to preserve the artifacts that they recovered. He mentioned that he and his team had just discovered a drawing that they were able to preserve intact. A close-up of the drawing came on the screen, and to her amazement it was the drawing of her! Rose was in shock and said, "Well I'll be god dammed!"

Seeing the drawing of her younger self…she still couldn't believe how Mr. Lovett and his team were able to preserve it. It looked just like Jack had drawn it yesterday, only it was now 84 years later. The memory of him drawing it brought a smile to her face, and she knew that she needed to contact this Mr. Brock Lovett.

She contacted the news station and got the contact information for Mr. Lovett. One of his associates answered her call and she mentioned her name and that she had important information about the Heart of the Ocean. The man could hardly contain his excitement and said he would get Mr. Lovett on the phone. After a pause… another voice came on the line and quickly replied, "This is Brock Lovett. How can I help you Mrs.… Mrs. Calvert?" She replied, "I was just wondering if you had found the Heart of the Ocean yet, Mr. Lovett?" She could tell that Mr. Lovett became speechless and heard him reply, "All right, you have my attention Rose. Can you tell us who the woman in the picture is?" Rose smiled and replied, "Oh, yes. The woman in the picture is me."

She could tell that Brock Lovett was amazed and he asked if she would please come to his research ship, so she could tell him her story. He also figured that she must be Rose Dewitt-Bukater, as everyone else who knew about the diamond was dead. She didn't confirm or deny it, but she agreed to make the journey. Lizzie, who was at her nana's side as she made the phone call, was also amazed that that the woman in that drawing was her own grandmother. Lizzie wasn't sure what to think, but she agreed to accompany her Nana and talked to Brock Lovett to finalize the arrangements.

A few days later, Rose and Lizzie were on the way to Brock Lovett's research ship. Brock Lovett personally welcomed them as they arrived onboard the vessel. Brock and his men assisted the Calvert women off the helicopter and allowed them to get settled in their rooms. Rose could tell some of Mr. Lovett's men were skeptical of her but decided to focus on unpacking her things.

Lizzie was helping her nana, while Rose was busy putting her pictures around the cabin when Mr. Lovett and one of his men entered the room to check up on their newest guests. Brock kindly asked, "Are your staterooms alright?" Rose quickly answered, "Oh, yes… very nice." The old woman not missing an opportunity then asked, "Have you met my granddaughter Lizzie? She takes care of me."

Lizzie kindly smiled as she turned towards Brock and replied, "We met just a few minutes ago. Remember, Nana? Up on deck?" Lewis Bodine just shook his head, while Rose also shook her head hating that she had forgotten that simple detail. Rose then turned her attention onto her pictures and said, "There… that's nice. Have to have my pictures when I travel."

Brock was patient and asked, "Can I get you anything? Is there anything you'd like?" Immediately Brock noticed a change in the old woman as she said, "Yes… I would like to see my drawing." Brock quickly agreed and led the women to the preservation room.

Rose looked at the drawing for the first time in 84 years… she closed her eyes and let the memory of Jack drawing her take over. Brock quickly started talking about the Heart of the Ocean saying, "Louis XVI wore a fabulous stone that was called the Blue Diamond of the Crown which disappeared in 1792… about the same time that old Louis lost everything from the neck up. The theory goes that the crown diamond was chopped too. Recut into a heart-like shape that became known as the Heart of the Ocean" Brock had a picture of the necklace and showed it to Rose and Lizzie and continued, "Today it would be worth more than the Hope Diamond."

Rose scoffed and replied, "It was a dreadful, heavy thing. I only wore it this once." Lizzie was still skeptical and asked, "You actually think this is you, Nana?" Rose quickly said, "It is me, dear." The old woman then teased, "Wasn't I a dish?"

Brock chuckled at the old woman's words and said, "I tracked it down through insurance records. An old claim that was settled under terms of absolute secrecy. Can you tell me who the claimant was, Rose?"

Rose wasn't surprised she was being asked that question and said, "I should imagine someone named Hockley." The men around them grinned and Brock answered, "Nathan Hockley, that's right. Pittsburgh steel tycoon. The claim was for a diamond necklace his son Caledon bought his fiancé… you."

Rose was amazed that Brock was quickly able to make the connection to her, while Brock continued, "A week before he sailed on Titanic. And it was filed right after the sinking, so the diamond had to have gone down with the ship." Brock then turned towards the drawing and said, "You see the date?"

Lizzie looked over the drawing and read the date out loud, "April 14, 1912." Lewis Bodine chimed in and said, "Which means if your grandmother is who she says she is, she was wearing the diamond the day the Titanic sank."

To which Brock grinned at Rose and said, "And that makes you my new best friend." Brock then pointed out some more artifacts to Rose and said, "These are some of the things we recovered from your stateroom." Rose picked up an old mirror and gasped in amazement. She replied, "This was mine. How extraordinary! And it looks the same as the last time I saw it." She turned the mirror over and saw her reflection and sighed, "The reflection has changed a bit." Rose then proceeded to pick up an ornate butterfly comb… the same comb she had been wearing in her hair before she changed for the drawing. Brock then leaned in closer to Rose and asked, "Are you ready to go back to Titanic?"

The group went into another room where Lewis Bodine played a simulation of Titanic's sinking, thoroughly explaining the aspects of the sinking. Lewis was very proud of his simulation and ended by saying, "Pretty cool, huh?" Rose responded, "Thank you for that fine forensic analysis, Mr. Bodine. Of course, the experience of it was… somewhat different."

Brock asked, "Will you share it with us?" Rose then proceeded to get up from her wheelchair and saw the images of the sunken Titanic on the screens. Rose then had a flashback seeing the images of the first-class entrance to the dining rooms and was overcome with emotion. Lizzie quickly went to her nana's side and said, "I'm taking her to rest." Rose refused, but Lizzie still tried to insist which lead Rose to shout out a definite "NO!" Rose went back to her wheelchair, and Brock quickly asked one of his men to hand him the tape recorder. He turned on the recorder and said, "Tell us, Rose." Rose replied, "It's been 84 years-", but was interrupted when Brock kindly said, "It's okay. Just try to remember anything. Anything at all."

Rose surprised everyone when she said, "Do you want to hear this or not, Mr. Lovett?" Brock and the others nodded their heads and Rose continued, "It's been 84 years and I can still smell the fresh paint. The china had never been used. The sheets had never been slept in. Titanic was called the ship of dreams. And it was… it really was."

Rose began her story the day of April 10, 1912… the day Titanic set sail from Southampton, England. She confirmed that she was indeed Rose Dewitt-Bukator, the long-thought dead fiancé of Caledon Hockley. She talked about the excitement of that day and that Titanic was the ship of dreams to everyone else, but that to her the ship was a slave ship taking her back to America in chains. That outwardly, young Rose appeared to be everything a well brought up girl should be, but that inside she was screaming… fed up with everything being forced upon her.

She talked about her love of art and gave a little insight into her relationship with Cal as she remembered how they voiced their different opinions in art as she decorated their adjoining staterooms.

Rose mentioned in Cherbourg, Margaret "Molly" Brown boarded the ship, and how the woman would be known as the "Unsinkable Molly Brown", but that she was referred to as "new money" by her mother and the other first-class women. By the next afternoon, Titanic set sail west from the Irish Coast into open water.

Rose remembered how frustrated she was during the infamous lunch scene where she ended up insulting J. Bruce Ismay, and thoroughly amusing Molly Brown and Thomas Andrews with her antics. That was the afternoon she and Jack Dawson first laid eyes on each other.

Her memories came to the night of April 12… the night she tried to commit suicide. How she felt that she had seen her whole life as if she had already lived it… an endless parade of parties and cotillions, yachts and polo matches. Seeing the same narrow people, the same mindless chatter. How she felt as if she was standing on a great precipice, with no one to pull her back… no one who cared, or even noticed how she was feeling.

She remembered how she tore her room apart in her anguish, and that she made up her mind to end her life as she ran towards the stern. The tears she had cried… and the emotion she felt as she gradually pulled herself over the railing to jump. And the surprise she got meeting Jack Dawson, and how he talked her down and convinced her not to jump. Then she slipped on her stupid dress, nearly going overboard and taking Jack with her. She talked about how Jack helped her get back to safety and falling in an awkward heap, causing the guards to come to the wrong conclusion thinking that the young man tried to assault her.

Rose remembered how furious Cal was with Jack, and how she quickly came to Jack's defense. How she claimed that the whole ordeal was an accident and that Jack had saved her after she "slipped" trying to look at the propellers. That she was grateful that Jack was noble enough to keep her secret, and not tell everyone that she had tried to kill herself. She mentioned Cal tried to throw money at Jack for saving her, but because of her Cal ended up inviting Jack to dinner with the first-class the following night.

It was later that night that Cal presented Rose with the Heart of the Ocean in the privacy of her room. How Cal tried to use the diamond to gain her affections and to cheer her up after her accident… and how Cal tried to convince Rose to open her heart to him.

She talked about the next day (April 13) when she sought out Jack Dawson to thank him for saving her life, and that was how their friendship and love affair fully began. How Jack was the only person who asked her about she felt about her engagement and if she honestly loved Cal. She discovered Jack was a very talented artist, and that he had traveled around the world. How Jack was the only person who listened to her and cared about her hopes and dreams, and even encouraged her to follow them.

She remembered Jack teaching her how to "spit like a man", and the embarrassment of being caught by Ruth and the other first-class ladies. The other ladies were curious about Rose's rescuer and were kind to Jack, but her mother looked down at Jack… looking at him as if he was a dangerous insect that must be squashed quickly.

Molly Brown had taken pity on the young artist and managed to find Jack a fine tuxedo, so he could blend in among the first-class passengers. Rose recalled her amazement seeing Jack dressed up and how handsome he looked… he truly looked like a first-class gentleman that night. She remembered how surprised Cal and Ruth were seeing Jack all dressed up… Jack ended up being her escort that night (and even escorted Molly Brown to their table). She remembered pointing out some of the most famous passengers on the ship to Jack… the Countess of Rothes, J.J and Madeline Astor, Benjamin Guggenheim and Madame Aubert, and the Duff-Gordons. Rose figured Jack must have been nervous, but he never faltered. He played the part so perfect, that the other passengers thought he was one of them… "new money", but still a member of the club. But of course, her mother tried to embarrass Jack by revealing he was third-class. Jack took it all in stride, and he managed to charm and gain the respect of the first-class people he was dining with.

She remembered her shock getting the note to meet Jack at the clock, and how they snuck off to the third-class party. Looking back, Rose believed that was the night that she and Jack began to fall in love with each other.

Sunday, April 14, was the day that everything changed. It was the day Cal was furious at her for sneaking off with Jack. Ruth had been furious with her actions and had given her a stern talk in her room. It was that talk that shook Rose up… forcing her to resign herself to a loveless marriage. On the tour with Thomas Andrews is when she saw the Captain receive an ice warning, and the man had calmly told the group not to worry and that he was ordering more speed. On the boat deck is where she came to the realization that there were not enough lifeboats for everyone onboard. It was where Jack had surprised her, and they had that heartbreaking moment in the gymnasium. It wasn't until she was at tea with the other ladies, and saw that little girl trying so hard to please her mother… it made her realize her mistake, and that she was falling in love with Jack.

She remembered finding Jack on the bow at sunset, and that was where they had their first kiss. She could still see them kissing on the bow; remembering the joy she felt in that moment, but also feeling sorrow as she said that was the last time Titanic saw daylight.

Brock nodded, realizing Rose's timeline, and said, "So we're up to dusk the night of the sinking… six hours to go." Lewis Bodine was amazed at the tale and at Captain Smith as he said, "Incredible. There's Smith and he's standing there, and he's got the ice warning in his fucking hand-excuse me- his hand, and he's ordering more speed!"

Brock already had formed his own opinion about the Captain due to his research and replied, "26 years of experience working against him. He figures anything big enough to sink the ship, they're going to see in time to turn. But the ship's too big, with too small a rudder. Doesn't corner worth a damn… everything he knows is wrong."

The next part of the story was the part that everyone wanted to know. After Rose and Jack left the bow, Rose had taken Jack to her stateroom. It was there where she asked Jack to draw her wearing the Heart of the Ocean… drawing her like one of his French girls. It was a memory that was so intimate and private, but a memory that Rose would treasure for the rest of her life.

Rose smiled at the memory and said, "My heart was pounding the whole time. It was the most erotic moment of my life." Rose looked at the people around her… they were spellbound now and in shock at how intimate the drawing really was. Rose let her amusement come into her voice and said, "Up until then, at least."

Lewis Bodine let his curiosity get the best of him and asked, "So what happened next?" Rose knew what the man was insinuating and replied, "You mean, did we do _it_?" The group, even Brock and Lizzie, all had amused expressions on their faces knowing that Lewis had asked about Rose's sex life.

Rose continued with her tale and honestly replied, "Sorry to disappoint you Mr. Bodine. Jack was very professional." It was true… Jack had been very professional throughout the whole drawing. After the drawing, Rose had written Cal a rather insulting note and put it with the drawing… she remembered she had asked Jack to put the necklace back into the safe. Rose had just finished changing, when the young couple heard Lovejoy knocking on the door. In the process of running away from Lovejoy, Jack and Rose had left behind the drawing in the safe, where it would be later found by Cal.

Rose looked back fondly at the memory of her and Jack running away from Lovejoy, and the thrill she had shooting Lovejoy the middle finger as they made their escape in the elevator. That it wasn't until they were in the cargo hold, where they made love in the back of the Renault.

The memories were coming in full force now… she remembered that intimate moment in the car with Jack, and their amusement at the look on the steward's faces when they opened the car but there was no one there. She remembered how hard they were laughing when they made it back onto the deck. In that moment… Jack and Rose were completely in love with each other. It was where Rose had made up her mind to leave her world behind to run away with the young man she knew she loved. She knew it was crazy, but she trusted her instincts. That perfect moment was so cruelly taken away when Titanic struck the iceberg.

Jack and Rose saw the iceberg and felt the collision. Jack even pushed Rose back as a piece of ice came crashing on the deck in front of them. It wasn't until they were making their way back inside, when Jack and Rose overheard the serious of the collision. Rose had convinced Jack that they needed to warn her mother and Cal, but little did they know Cal had cooked up the ultimate betrayal.

Cal had found the drawing and had come up with a plan to get rid of his rival once and for all. When Jack and Rose made their way to the cabin, Lovejoy slipped the Heart of the Ocean into the pocket of the coat Jack was wearing. Cal had framed Jack for theft… although Rose didn't know it at the time. All Rose felt in that moment was confusion and hurt; she felt that the man she loved and trusted had betrayed her. Jack had maintained his innocence but was still arrested. It didn't help that Jack had been wearing a stolen coat; he had borrowed the coat to get close to Rose to talk to her and fully intended to return it, but he didn't get a chance to. Jack was taken away… leaving Rose alone with an angry Cal.

Rose remembered how furious Cal had been with her… she could never forget the hard slap he gave her. The relationship between Cal and Rose had been broken beyond repair. They were interrupted by a steward telling them to put their lifebelts on and to head up to the boat deck. Cal was annoyed, but Rose was still reeling from the slap and everything that had just happened.

Cal, Ruth, and Rose made their way into the first-class areas. There was confusion and chaos all around, as people were trying to figure out what was going on. Rose spotted Thomas Andrews and she could see the distress on the man's face. Rose went up to the man and admitted that she had seen the iceberg and could see it in the poor man's eyes; she asked for him to tell her the truth. Thomas Andrews sadly admitted that the ship was going to sink, making Rose realize the horrible truth. Mr. Andrews told Rose to quickly get to a boat, to which Rose knew that many innocent people were going to die that night.

Cal, Ruth, and Rose made their way to the lifeboats. Rose remembered being appalled by her mother's attitude and snapped at her to just shut up and enter the boat. To drive home that the ship was sinking, Rose told her mother that the water was freezing and that there were not enough lifeboats for the passengers; more than half of the people onboard were going to die. When Cal callously said that not the better half were going to die, and that it was a pity that he didn't keep the drawing… something in her snapped. Rose realized what an unimaginable bastard Cal was, and how foolish she had been to doubt Jack's innocence. She said her goodbyes to Ruth and walked away from the lifeboat.

Cal quickly realized that Rose was leaving him to go find Jack. He tried to stop her, and even went so far to insult her and Jack. That was when she stood up for herself and told Cal she would rather be Jack's whore than his wife… and spat in his face when he still tried to stop her from leaving.

Rose found Mr. Andrews again, and convinced him to tell her the way to find to the room where the master-at-arms had taken Jack. She remembered how she forced her way into the elevator, and the fear she had as she made her way into the flooding lower levels of the ship.

She talked about how she found Jack handcuffed to a pipe, and that the room was quickly flooding. They had a quick, but passionate reunion as she remembered telling Jack how sorry she was for doubting him. As she searched for a key, Jack had asked how she found out the truth… she smiled saying she didn't, but realized she already knew the whole time of his innocence. Rose had to search for help, but only found a stubborn steward that didn't listen to her at all. She found an axe and made her way back to Jack, only to find the flooding had gotten worse!

Rose used the axe and was able to free Jack from the pipe, but they found that the way out was fully blocked by water. They searched for another way out, and they managed to break their way into the third-class areas. Jack was reunited with his friends Tommy and Fabrizio, and the young couple found out that the stewards were refusing to open the main gates. Jack, Rose, and their friends quickly went to find another exit, only to be met with another locked gate. In his fury at the unfairness, Jack and his friends broke down the gate and the group made their way to the boat deck.

By the time Jack and Rose got up to the boat deck, the lifeboats were almost all gone! Jack convinced Tommy and Fabrizio to go to the other side to find a boat, while he stayed at Rose's side.

While the couple waited for a boat, they were spotted by Lovejoy who then told Cal. Cal gave up his chance to escape and went to find them. The boat was filling up quickly, when Rose saw families being ripped apart because of the "women and children only" rule. Rose did not want to leave without Jack, and while Jack was trying to change her mind Cal had shown up on the scene. Cal tried to be affectionate towards Rose, and even put on his coat on her. Cal also tried to convince Rose to get on the lifeboat, but she still refused to leave without Jack. Cal mentioned his arrangement and said that he would use it, so he and Jack could get safely off the sinking ship. Jack went along with Cal's story, and the two rivals were able to finally get Rose to move towards the boat.

Rose held onto Jack's hand for as long as she could. The boat began to lower, and both Cal and Jack watched the boat leave… with the woman they loved safely onboard. As the boat lowered, Rose kept looking around… she didn't like the situation at all! She looked up and saw both Jack and Cal looking at her. The distress rockets illuminated the night sky, but there was only one man Rose had her eyes on. She saw the look of love and heartbreak in Jack's eyes and she knew she could not leave him behind. She jumped from the lifeboat, and back into the sinking Titanic!

The young lovers found each other at the Grand Staircase and shared a passionate kiss, and they just held each other. Jack asked why she jumped from the boat, and Rose repeated the same phrase that he told her in the gymnasium, "You jump, I jump." It was better for them to be together than apart.

Little did they know Cal had seen and heard their declaration of love… causing his jealously to boil. Cal had grabbed Lovejoy's pistol and chased after the lovers in revenge! Luckily Jack saw the gun, and the young couple took off running. Cal chased them back into the flooding lower levels, and finally stopped running after them when he ran out of bullets.

The couple wasn't out of the woods yet; they faced more obstacles and even nearly drowned thanks to a locked gate. They fought their way back to the upper levels… as they made their way back to the boat deck they spotted Thomas Andrews. Rose remembered how Mr. Andrews refused to make a try to survive and how he felt so guilty for not building a stronger ship. The humble and noble man gave Rose his own lifebelt, wishing her good luck. Rose wished him good luck as well and hugged him goodbye; she would never forget Mr. Andrews for the rest of her life.

By the time Jack and Rose made it back to the boat deck again the boats were all gone. The ship continued to rapidly sink, and the couple made their way to the stern. They hung onto the railings, and they stayed there until the ship's final moments.

Rose vividly remembered every aspect of the sinking… how the ship broke apart and how the stern stayed afloat for a few moments before finally sinking under the sea. How Jack told her to take a deep breath and hold it since they were going to be sucked under, and how he told her not to let go of his hand. She remembered how cold the water was, and how the suction ripped her and Jack apart. Rose had kicked her way to the surface to find absolute pandemonium. She couldn't find Jack, and then that panicked man nearly drowned her! Luckily Jack had found her, and he punched the panicked man. Once Rose was free, Jack led her away from the chaos and found the floating door that would save her life.

She remembered how cold it was that night, and how the screams of the dying faded away in the night. How she had nearly given up all hope, which lead to Jack telling her not to give up. Leading to her making the promise that she would go on and live her life. When one lifeboat finally came back, she was all alone and devastated to find that Jack died from hypothermia. Rose wanted to give up, but she kept her promise and used that whistle to get the lifeboat's attention.

Rose opened her eyes and said, "1,500 people went into the sea when Titanic sank from under us. There were twenty boats floating nearby and only one came back. One." The whole group was stunned, and tears were flowing freely because of the emotion of the story. Lizzie had been crying, and even burly Lewis Bodine had tears flowing down his cheeks.

Rose continued, "Six were saved from the water, myself included. Six… out of 1,500. Afterward the 700 people in the boats had nothing to do but wait. Wait to die, wait to live… wait for an absolution that would never come."

Her memories went back to being in the lifeboat, and finally getting onboard the Carpathia. That she settled amongst the third-class passengers and hid from Cal when he went looking for her.

Rose commented on Cal and said, "That's the last time I ever saw him. He married, of course, and inherited his millions. But the Crash of '29 hit his interests hard and he put a pistol in his mouth that year… or so I read." She revealed that once she arrived in New York is when she changed her name to Rose Dawson.

Lewis Bodine commented on Jack and said, "We never found anything on Jack. There's no record of him at all." Rose just had a soft smile and said, "No, there wouldn't be, would there? And I've never spoken of him until now. Not to anyone."

The old woman turned towards her granddaughter, but continued addressing the group as she said, "Not even your grandfather. A woman's heart is an ocean of secrets. But now you know that there was a man named Jack Dawson, and that he saved me. In every way that a person can be saved. I don't even have a picture of him… he exists now only in my memory."

Rose's story had touched everyone who heard it… the whole crew started to feel like they were graverobbers. The one person who was most affected by it was Brock Lovett… who would lament to Lizzie that he spent 3 years thinking nothing except Titanic, but that he never got the tragedy. He never let it in, but now he finally understood. He understood now because of Rose.

Later that night, Rose made her way outside. She made her way to the railing and climbed up. In her hands she had the Heart of the Ocean… she had kept it all these years. Rose came to the ship to tell her story, but also to return the necklace to the ocean… where it should have been all along. She threw the diamond into the sea and watched as it sank. Rose felt a sense of peace; somehow returning the diamond was her way of finally saying goodbye to her lost love.

Rose went to bed, surrounded by her pictures. The pictures indeed proved she lived a life of happiness and adventure in Jack's honor. The old woman was safe and warm in her bed and seemed to be peacefully sleeping.

 _Rose feels as if she's floating underwater…. She sees the sunken Titanic, but she doesn't shy away from it. She feels as if she is walking along the ship again, and a warm bright light overcomes her. The ship transforms from a wreck to its former glory._

 _Rose is surprised that she's returned to Titanic. She makes her way down to the Grand Staircase, where a lot of people are waiting. The kind doorman opens the door, and Rose makes her way to the Staircase._

 _She is surrounded by people… the innocent victims that died that horrible night. Rose realizes she must be in some sort of heaven. To her amazement, the people are smiling at her. They are welcoming her home._

 _She sees Trudy, J.J Astor, the noble members of the Band, Tommy, Mr. Guggenheim, Fabrizio and even little Cora with her father Burt._

 _At the staircase, she spots Mr. Murdoch and Mr. Andrews smiling at her and that's when she spots a familiar person waiting at the top of the staircase. As she makes her way up the stairs, the person turns around with a huge smile on his face. It's Jack… looking as handsome as ever. He's wearing the same clothes he normally wore, but it didn't bother Rose at all. This was the man she never forgot… the man she never stopped loving._

 _Jack held out his hand, and Rose happily took it. That's when she noticed she was no longer 100 years old… she was 17 again, looking beautiful and wearing a long, beautiful white dress. Rose still couldn't believe she was seeing her Jack again, and the two smiled at each other. The two lovers were finally reunited, and the lost souls applauded as Jack and Rose began to kiss. The kiss gradually became more passionate; Jack and Rose both knew that this was the beginning of the forever that they should have gotten in life_.

 ** _Wow... I can't believe that I finally completed this story! It was so bittersweet to write this chapter since I wanted to stay faithful to Rose's character. It's hard to believe that I started this story over a year ago. I promise that I'm still going to write more stories... I may come back and do a series of one-shots for this story (since I know I did some major time jumps for this story). If anyone is interested... let me know. It might be a while since I'm in the full swing of college, but I hope I'll be able to start writing again once things settle down a bit. I want to thank everyone that has read this story and left reviews... I appreciated all the kind feedback. Thanks again! :)_**


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